King of Fakers
by PrinceofUruk
Summary: Yo chapter 10 is up, that is all. The Golden King of Heroes finds a young red haired boy in the wreckage of the fire...there was something special about him...maybe just maybe... AU Shirou. Enjoy. Rate. Review. The King demands you do!
1. Among The Flames

The fires raged across the land, the smell of sulphur and death hung ominously in the air, trying to claim as many victims as it could, the trees were charred black, parts began to break apart and burn until nothing but ash and dust remained, the sweltering storm of heat seemed almost alive, as it sought out lie, leaving a trail of destruction and ash in its wake, it's feasting of flesh and peeling of skin seemed to create a cackling sound, deranged and prideful of the destruction it wrought.

The cries of children, mothers, fathers, brother and sisters made faint, silent and wretched screams that fed the malice of the disaster, the armour clad body of the legendary King of Heroes had no problems repelling the heat of the flames that had surrounded him, in the midst of the destruction he had helped create.

Not that he had any real feelings of compassion for the mongrels humanity had become, those who were too weak would die; they were unworthy of his divine rule.

Walking through the almost palatable wall of heat, the legendary king of heroes allowed his eyes to wander the area, searching for anything of interest.

He stopped.

Saber's Master, Emiya Kiritsugu.

The King of Heroes barely kept his name as a vague footnote, being a bit unique, but still nothing that really shone to him, his body was covered in blood and burns; he was hunched over on the ground, moving, Inch by inch, heading forward.

Suddenly, a torrent of flame erupted from a nearby gas pipe, quickly enveloping the man in its soon to be fatal embrace, the man chucked his body downwards and as the fire began to char and rip apart his flesh as he struggled to continue on.

The King watched with only vague interest, after all, the outcome was obvious, this man before him was not going to survive; the only question was how long he could delay the inevitable.

The man opened his arms and forced something past him. A young boy dressed in a dark blue jacket and white undershirt, with red hair; he couldn't have been more than five, maybe six years old.

The blood soaked fire caught up with the aged man, then devoured him whole.

Gilgamesh stepped forward; The Master of Saber was dead.

The boy was just as doomed as the man who had saved him, yet he did not give up; his tiny hands stretched out, reaching for air, finding itself in the bloody, rotten and burnt earth.

His nails dragged across the land. The King watched.

And watched.

The boy's body was shaking; fear, a very simple thing.

The gluttonous blazes slowly approached its prey, bursting up for a mere moment, before swiftly declining into an eerie malevolent silence, cinders and small flames licked at the boy's wounds as he desperately yearned to live, shred of skin began to crumble, blood slowly poured from his cuts.

It spread across the withered dead grass and was soaked up within moments; it seemed as if the very world, and nature itself, were merely toying with the boy, as if doing something as delinquent as playing with it's food.

The boy grit his teeth; a small instinctive stubborn atmosphere began to surround him. He wanted to cry, yet not a single tear fell; he didn't want to give such an accursed world the satisfaction.

The flames seemed to make playful yet deadly leaps and bounds charring his clothes and what remained of his body, smoke forced its way down his lungs and throat, gripping him with the embraces of death; he coughed for a few seconds and then forced his body to take another degrading step forward with all fours.

This boy had lost everything.

Nothing remained but the primordial bestial instinct that snarled at him to live.

Any normal child would surely be dead by now, any normal human of this day and age would have given up, letting themselves burn into ash, forgotten like a common dog, never leaving a legend in his wake.

His mouth opened for a brief moment, wide it looked like the fangs of a beast as if he had something to say, yet no words came, only small feeble breaths.

The boy could not roar.

Or scream.

Or yell at the heavens that cursed him with this fate.

The King lifted his left foot just above the boy's head; the red haired child mustered as much strength as he could spare, glared at the King for impeding his path, eyes blazing like hot steel.

The boy continued onward, ignoring the King's presence, refusing to beg for his life.

The King was mildly surprised, he would never admit it, but he saw something of himself in the child, something rather similar to his search for immortality, or disregard for the god's and elders.

A man will continue to fight and live, to change his fate; to leave his mark on this world.

This was the first time the King had seen such a person in this new world, [I]Perhaps[/I], the King thought, this child might be worth saving.

The fire leapt forth like to devour the boy; just as it had his would-be saviour, A quick shining blur then swept across the flames, the golden armoured ruler bent down and grabbed the boy; his instincts told him that there was something different with this child, something [I]unique[/I]

The child was almost unconscious. He looked up at the King with silent sincere eyes before he let his mind wander to the land of dreams, [I]Maybe, just maybe...[/I] the King thought back to the lands he owned thousands of years ago. A small voice, that sounded suspiciously like Enkidu, whispered.

"Let us see, if you can live up to my expectation, boy..."

xXx

Kotomine Kirei had but the slightest look of intrigue upon his face, he saw Gilgamesh by the door of the Church, holding a young red haired boy within his arms, sleeping without a sound.

"Who is this?" The priests face was dark yet collected as well as his expressions; he was a tall man that looked fairly strong.

"Something interesting I discovered, amongst the corpses." The words left the heroes mouth with little emotion; Kotomine had to raise an eyebrow for a moment. He had not expected such behaviour from the King of Heroes.

"Where did he come from?" Kotomine was the type to ask what was most relevant and important, often getting to the point, yet in a rather concealed way.

"From the fire we caused, the boy was being protected by Saber's Master. The kid looked interesting, so I took him. Is there something wrong with that?" The King's voice and expression contained a dark sense of enjoyment.

Kirei made a small subtle look of confusion for but a mere millisecond; to him it was odd, Gilgamesh wanted to wipe out all humans unworthy of his rule, due to his views of the current state of humanity, So for him to save someone…

As for the heroes question, common sense dictated that it wasn't.

"Well… if you truly wish to have this child, I suppose I should go and adopt him then, having a child unaccounted for appear around here would cause unnecessary trouble. I shall go to settle this."

The priest was still vaguely interested enough to be willing to see how this turned out, maybe it would entertain him or perhaps show him something

The King's arm stretched out and stopped the man in his tracks for a moment.

"Wouldn't it be prudent to learn the boy's name first?" The King questioned, mocking the priest for his oversight, the priest's mind stopped for a second, to let him grasp what the former servant had said.

He then gently shook the boy, who awoke with sleepy eyes.

"Boy, what is your name?"

The boy thought for a second, struggling to recall one of the most basic things about his own existence, and then spoke.

"Shirou… my name is Shirou." His voice was feeble and hoarse.

The King smirked, there was a foundation there, something he could build upon; Kotomine grabbed the boy from the King's hand and let his feet touch the churches ground.

"Come with me. I'll adopt you child." The priest's voice seemed devoid of any real emotion, the child stared at him, no real emotion present in his eyes as he calculated the priests offer.

"Ho? Presumptuous, aren't we? Do not forget, that child is mine to do with as I see fit." The King's cold glare met Kirei's amused eyes, before turning away, to address the child himself.

"Do not forget, [I]boy[/I] I was the one who saved you, and thus, your life belongs to me." The King smirked, provided the boy was given the correct teachings, he could make for a fine subject, and if he impressed him, maybe even a squire.

"Of course." The boy agreed, far more easily then he had to the priest words.

And the story of the boy called Shirou, began anew.


	2. The First Years

King Of Fakers: Chapter 1 The Image of a King

Authors Note:

Wow! Third Fang added this to his alerts!

**** Yeah! Awesome... Also word of warning... this chapter seems hasty and bad because...

Well it is. Chapter 2+ Will be gradually getting better with time, I try to be one chapter ahead before updating so it's good to know. I will usually post this on Beasts Lair of Nasuverse one chapter ahead, but currently, on the date this is published they are at the same place, but Beasts Lair has my crappy art and peoples discussion etc.

Enjoy, and REVIEW DAMMIT THE KING DEMANDS IT TO BE SO!

Just kidding. Anyway this has a lot of grammar etc problem but... hopefully my 3rd editor will be better for when Chapter 2 comes along.

X

It hadn't been difficult for people to accept Kotomine taking Shirou in after the fire, the man was a priest of the local Church, and had helped out tremendously in attempting to locate survivors of the blaze.

A few weeks after being saved, Shirou had, at one point, had attempted to call the King of Heroes, Father. The word had evoked a terrifying rage within the man, "How dare you! You think you are worthy of such an honour!" The King had lashed out with a brilliantly executed right hook, and challenged Shirou for the right to call himself the son of Gilgamesh.

The result was a pair of broken arms and a few cracked ribs on the boys side, which Kotomine was quick to heal. He hadn't thought it through, he had just wanted to adore the man, and even though pain was surging through his body he hadn't been dissuaded from the idea. So even though Shirou dared not say it before the King himself, he would continue to call him father within his heart and thoughts, it was obvious with the look Shirou made.

So for the next few weeks Kotomine taught Shirou about magi as he recovered. A few weeks had passed and Shirou had learnt a lot of strange new things about the world around him. He had started from knowing nothing but his name to the basics of magecraft and the complexity of magic within the world. Being a child he was like an empty cup or a sponge, whatever Kotomine and Gilgamesh told him he absorbed, focused and listened with all he had.

The Holy Grail War.

It usually occurs every sixty or so years, were seven Masters and seven Servants are summoned to fight for the Holy Grail, granted the power of wishes. Masters, chosen magi who summon and control the Servants to do their bidding. Servants, spirits of the heroes of humanity in the past that shaped the world. When Shirou heard this his eyes lit up as if electrified. He marvelled and stared at Kotomine and his father, the legendary King of Heroes Gilgamesh!

A man who slew Gods and ruled an ancient land as an absolute elite ruler. The King is never wrong, he is supreme and nothing stands in his way. The image of a King was engraved into the young child's heart. To rule over all of life and to be a great powerful hero like his father.

This was the start of Shirou's dream and ambition, to be the King of all of the world!

Kotomine said signs of another war was soon despite the previous one ending only recently, that one had caused the fire. So Shirou asked to be taught as a mage from the priest and a warrior from the King. However it was difficult.

"You can't seem to do be able to do even the most simple of magecraft or even the fundamental beginnings... it would seem best your Origin must be located before anything else..."

The priest muttered under his breath with his common disinterested look. Shirou hadn't been able to do any magecraft that was any good except reinforcement. Gilgamesh had wanted to train Shirou in physical combat straight away, but Kotomine was able to convince him to wait until Shirou was at least ten, until then the King would give Shirou elixirs from the Gate of Babylon to drink to reinforce the child's body.

So ended the first day of any type of magecraft training, with no real results.

X

Shirou yawned, he rubbed his eyes and leapt out of bed. His arms were miraculously better, it had only been a few weeks. He began walking to the bathroom when he heard a young girl screech in anger, causing him to trip and smash his head against the tile floor of the bathroom.

"Ow!" Was all he could simply say, he began to groan and pick himself up, he headed out of the room to check out the commotion.

Shirou clutched his head and made a few verbal tic's of pain as he blinked a few times as he headed for the front of the Church and saw a young dark haired girl dressed in red, with ribbons in her hair, yelling at Kotomine. Her eyes were like tiny blue gems gleaming like a summer ocean, but it also seemed like a raging storm, in fact her body language was composed yet offensive.

Though it looked like she could explode at any moment.

"Fake Priest!" The young girl yelled it repeatedly at Kotomine, Shirou actually found this amusing. He didn't like Kotomine and his father didn't seem to like his attitude at times. The statement was somewhat true, while Kotomine was a full priest he was also a practitioner of magecraft and hadn't stopped despite the fact the war was over. He couldn't help but start to giggle, the girl and the fake priest turned to him, a look of wonder and of little emotion; as usual, respectively.

"Who is this, Kotomine?"

"Ah, I'm his guardian like I am to you, you probably haven't met hit because he has been indoors for a while and slept most of the time due to some burns. His name is Shirou and he too is a magus in training, greet him Rin."

Rin walked up to the boy and stretched out a hand, "I'm Tohsaka Rin, so your Kotomine Shirou? This fake priests child?" Rin looked quite disinterested yet formal with her greeting, not bothering to correct herself, identifying the red head as the priest's child was easier for her. It slightly irritated Shirou, not just being called the priests son but her attitude to him, but this was the first time he had met a child his age, or a girl for that matter.

"...Don't call him my dad, just call me Shirou or your majesty."

He said so as if a statement, a fact and an absolute truth. The Tohsaka girl blinked a few times, before beginning to open her mouth, she turned to Kotomine.

"Why does he think he's royalty?" She ignored Shirou behind her, and looked directly at Kotomine's eyes.

Kotomine was not the type too lie, rather the one to hide information, which often infuriated others when they thought that he had misled them, this time was no different.

"He doesn't consider me his father or even as a simple guardian, and it's just more convenient for all of us that he is under my control, would you call me papa, Rin? I am merely your guardian, in that respect both of you are the similar."

He had not mentioned the King of Heroes at all , the figure that Shirou adored was or why he thought he should be addressed as a noble. Rather he mentioned the idea of Rin calling him papa, to offset her from thinking straight about how he had not directly and properly asked the question. Rin shuddered, the word papa was not one that she thought Kotomine had in his dictionary, she nodded and placed her hand on Shirou's shoulder.

"Well I'm your superior and Sempai! So you just listen to me and do what I want and everything will be fine." She smiled.

Shirou frowned, he was beginning to feel offended... _"What was it that father said? Something about women and children and how everyone who lives is ours? Always assert power...?" _He didn't know what assert mean. The concept wasn't remotely absorbed by Shirou, he couldn't exactly remember all the details the King had told him, but he at least knew it meant he wasn't supposed to lesser to anyone else.

"But, I'm the servant of the King and your just a girl, so shouldn't I be above you?" It came out with a very innocent voice and spoke like a fact. Rin glared, she didn't particularly feel like being below someone else, especially with the reasoning Shirou was giving. This was the start of a shaky, odd yet strong relationship that was to be ever changing throughout their lives.

X

Shirou's bedroom was relatively normal, but it was cosy, very cool when the weather was hot and warm when it was cool. The walls were painted a noble blue, he had a small smooth wooden desk in the right most corner of the room with a desk lamp plugged into the wall. On the left corner was his bed small, fluffy looking and comfortable, mostly white with a thick golden like blanket.

Whenever Shirou had time to himself or whenever he went to bed he would practice reinforcing his body, Kotomine had recommended his senses since they hadn't found his origin yet, hoping for a better idea of what it was to appear.

Or he would spend his time sitting under the sheets of his bed with a flash light in the dead of the night reading the legends of his father.

Or his mother.

The King of Heroes had spoken about a woman he desired one he wished for, so Shirou adopted this person in his mind as his mother.

Shirou was rather shocked and irked at first that his father told him his mother was going to be King Arthur.

Then he said he really was a she, and that she was a beautiful thing he wanted as a possession.

When Shirou heard of this he made crude drawing attempts and hung them upon his wall, hanging it on the eastern wall next to the calender. A miniature gallery of the female King of Knights.

She stood holding a golden sword between her hands, pointed at the ground in a strong royal position, yet it was graceful and beautiful...

Her expression was serene, her lips made a small almost sad yet cute and calming smile as her green eyes, much like the field around her gazed towards the setting sun.

Shirou gazed at the poster for what seemed like hours, memorising it fully, her golden hair tied up at the back was simple yet unique, she was a rather petite woman but Shirou could tell just by this painting, she was strong and precious.

He after a time went back to reading his book, often acting out small parts of the novels, such as shaking his flash light like a sword when Enkidu or Gilgamesh fought something.

Little Shirou's imagination exploded from the tiny ink text into a whole other world, he imaged every last detail as described vividly, if one was to see into his mind they would say the image made was near perfect.

Shirou often drifted to sleep with a book in his hands, dreaming dreams of his father, his mother, Enkidu and himself charging to war or ruling the land, being a family.

Vast flourishing green fields, towering eternal golden walls, blood and glory, blades in hand roaring from the very top of the world... and all the world's gaze upon him.

X

Kotomine often restricted Gilgamesh and Shirou from leaving the Church unless it was necessary.

For completely fair and obvious reasons yes, but... well wild animals need to be let loose, and so the King and his loyal servant walked into town.

Their clothing was... actually very simple, yet stylish and caught the eyes of people.

Gilgamesh was wearing a thin black coat over a plain summer button white shirt, and his trousers resembled his coat having white streaks in them, around his neck was a golden necklace made of several small segments that resembled animal fangs.

Actually their disobedience to the priest hadn't only been because of a lack of free space, it was due to food.

Kotomine was fond of extremely spicy Chinese food and other oriental dishes, Shirou and the King had no idea where it came from but it had caused their eyes to water painfully and their tongues to feel like they had been eaten by birds that were somehow aflame.

They couldn't take any more of it.

So this gave them a chance to stretch their legs as well as finally eat something that didn't feel like their whole body was drenched in molten lava.

This was Shirou's first time into Fuyuki city, so he marvelled at the city's night life, a simple case of a modern city with electrical lights lit across the city, but nonetheless it was a sight for the boy.

He loved the city already.

The King of Heroes looked indifferent, he hated the modern man, but because they were so weak it was easy to oppress and control them, which was at least the slightest singe of amusement for him.

The people of this time would immediately cower, the people of his time would at least try to challenge him, even knowing they were doomed from the start.

Shirou rushed towards a 7/11 and the door automatically opened for him, he marvelled at the small simple thing.

He leapt at the frozen food section, opened a box of what was small pieces of chicken and bit into it.

"...Argh!" His little voice screamed in frustration, the cold hard tough sensation wasn't what chicken was supposed to taste like!

...Shirou did not currently know the concept of freezing food, since Kotomine never bought groceries and thus did not use the fridge.

A young woman who was the clerk went over and picked him up with one hand, "What do you think your doing kid?" Her words were more of confusion then blame.

"What do you think! I'm eating!" He began to make tiny sobs and whimpers.

"Food isn't free you know. You can't just take it, anyway that food's frozen, trying to eat it would probably cause your teeth to fall out."

"Stupid mongrel woman! Why freeze food... it hurts agh...! I can take whatever I want!" The little red haired child got a few quizzical looks from the bystanders.

"Mongrel?" The woman was now even more confused.

"That's right, you people are mongrels before the King or his servant!" A large booming voice descended upon the convenience store, echoing across every single surface.

The golden haired man had entered and stared at every being with ferocious bestial eyes, unrelenting even for a second.

"Shirou, you should have subjugated this woman and the foolish peasants the moment you arrived! You are my servant, if you cannot even do this to such weak mongrels..."

His voice growled and the child caught the warning.

The common citizens gaped in awe, the audacity of the man was shocking by itself, but what really was amazing was the authentic regal tone of his voice that began to creep into and captivate their hearts.

The clerk slowly dropped Shirou to the ground in amazement.

"Now mongrel woman, give us as much good food as you can think of!"

A powerful, absolute and imperative command.

And for some reason the young woman was compelled to do so, scrambling for various foodstuffs and placing them in bags, at first handing them to the King, who scowled in response.

"Do you expect the King to carry his own food? Foolish woman!"

The clerk hurriedly handed it to Shirou, who then glared back at her.

She had no idea what to do.

"...Shirou, carry the food. Think of this as the punishment for not controlling the area in time for the King's entrance, now go!"

The King and his child swerved and then marched out of the store.

They then ran into a small red clothed girl with two black twin-tails.

"Tohsaka? What are you doing here?" Shirou asked in a rather simple voice.

"Nothing really... just walking around the city..." Her eyes led up to look at the tall golden man.

He responded with a slight irritated look upon his face, like a growling beast when your just about to enter its territory.

The girl was frightened by his imposing figure.

"Who's he?" The question seemed to stumble from the girls mouth.

"My King and Master." The response came out calm.

The King had a small vein on the left side of his forehead building up and pulsating, slowly...

Rin made a small bewildered look for a second, then made an "Oh!" and nodded.

"So that's who he is... so Shirou, how is your training going?" Her voice was teasing, she knew he hadn't if any barely improved.

"Ah, well a third rate person such as yourself..." She made a sly grin.

That tore it.

The King roared and the children stumbled to the ground.

"Shirou! Why would you let this mere girl push you around! Next time you meet her... dominate! I will not accept anything less!"

The King began to walk away and Shirou stood to his feet, almost as in attention and began to run after him.

The city was in chaos, the pair had gone around demanding food, the best clothing and anything that seemed of value. Their victims were so shocked by their behaviour that the idea of telling anyone what happened wasn't really in their minds.

Anyway the King was sure that the priest would take care of such things if they arose, he was useful for that at least.

The King had often randomly grabbed women around him and began to teach Shirou the best way to subjugate them and how to address, speak and act to them.

When you got right down to it, essentially the King was telling Shirou to treat them as objects and property and that he was far superior to them, Shirou represented the King and so Shirou must always be superior to all others.

He wasn't supposed to give even a fraction of a second of his time of day to anyone unless they were skilled, Ninsun or were a priestess that would do anything you wanted.

Anyone else should be treated as expendables that contributed to their reverence.

It took a while but Shirou began to understand, he drew himself a small chart that had crudely drawn Gilgamesh at the top, with a very long line that took almost half the page, dragging to himself, and then an even longer line dragging to tiny indents which were people of note, and finally a even larger line to tiny little specks, these were the average modern men.

When he got home he taped it onto his wall along with his King Arthur drawings and a note saying "Learn what frozen food is."

X

Today was Shirou's first day of school.

At first the Gilgamesh objected having Shirou spend valuable time training magecraft for doing menial tasks to conform to modern man, but eventually Kotomine persuaded him.

So Shirou was now at the gate of a nice small school and entered.

His first day would be an eventful one.

The moment he entered he declared himself as Shirou and that he should be addressed as "Your Majesty" and that since all other students were mongrels that they should obey him undoubtedly.

This caused a series of blank befuddled expressions by adults and children alike.

Yet, soon enough he had most of the children in the class following his orders in a jovial manner, though occasionally begin to fight him whenever he called them mongrels.

Which often resulted in Shirou, magically enhanced, quickly holding them down, subjugating them, then getting scolded at by the teacher, who would then become very confused as no matter how many times it happened he refused to acknowledge he had done anything even remotely wrong.

Shirou enjoyed painting, making messes and whenever they had to craft things, surprisingly enough he could make most things almost detailed as the specifications and they were of a quality none would suspect would come from a six year old.

He even experimented with his work with a highly inquisitive attitude and his way of thinking and processing how things work were astounding.

The boy, when it came to building, fixing or making, was a bit of a genius.

And so Shirou came to enjoy school but was frequently angered by the teachers so his behaviour caused him to come home late and having a dull Kotomine waste his time coming in...

And Shirou enjoyed very much whatever he could do to hinder the fake priest.

At his school was Tohsaka Rin... who acted completely different, acting perfect, conforming and graceful as if they could be nothing wrong with her.

It annoyed him to no end. He remembered the King of Heroes words, she was lesser to him and property of the King like all the world and the people in it.

And so due to her kind acting nature in school, she was forced to act nicely to her rival... despite being called and treated like a tool... and slowly rage began to build within her, they were still a semblance of friends, but murderous intent was but a step away.

X

Shirou had began to learn to cook.

At first he had some bad reactions to the small flames that started up when he lit the stove but he gradually overcame that fear and began to try to learn how to cook.

The King of Heroes did not insult Shirou for trying to cook, in fact he secretly commended it, in his time men were great chefs, unlike the modern idea today that woman cook in households.

And, if it would prevent the consumption of Kotomine's cooking he would gladly accept this alternative.

He did criticise the boy about the quality harshly however.

"Boy! How dare you feed this trash to the King!" Who chucked a plate of somewhat too fried rice to the floor.

"Blame the mongrels that give me such wretched ingredients and Kotomine for giving me so little money!"

In the back of the King's mind he smiled.

That was the way to go, blame another cause for the King can never be in doubt or fault, however his face kept the enraged emotion.

Slowly but surely Shirou was becoming an adept at cooking many dishes, including ones that Gilgamesh described he ate in the past, and even modernising them.

The King was the smallest bit pleased.

X

For two whole years nothing eventful happened.

Shirou was eight now and had lived a... relatively normal life and was enjoying his childhood.

He was in his room, sitting cross legged focusing his magical energy.

He had began to experiment something.

He made the power flow into the tips of his fingers, then his lungs, his heart and every other organ he could think of.

Sending energy to his eyes, nose tongue and ears.

Finally he did something stupid, he tried to reinforce his brain.

Shirou snapped, his world then turned upside down.

Shirou collapsed to the floor with a huge breath, he could _taste _everything in the room!

The sensation of paper, metal, glass and wood raged within his mouth and throat as if scratching it with a rusty knife!

Then he felt something even more remarkable, he could see all the objects in his rooms make up, how they work, how they were constructed, how long they existed and all the times it was used!

The very history of the room began to flood his mind!

He could feel it with his fingertips, every surface as if against his body, tearing him and comforting him.

Even the tiniest sounds in the room sounded as large as raging thunderstorms!

Shirou screamed as his world began to fade into a muddy black.

X

Shirou awoke to the bleeping sound.

He was in a hospital bed, he groaned weakly as he tried to move his body upwards.

Shirou couldn't, he couldn't even feel his body.

His eyes could barely see, his vision was blurred with darkness.

A white dress.

He could see one and a large rustling of people and yells of voices of many tones.

He saw a priest garment and a little red figure.

Shirou tried to talk but nothing would come out, even blinking seemed to be painful, his eyelids felt as if they were made of heavy ancient metal.

He could swear he heard sobbing of a little girl along with vague "baka!" coming from her voice.

Rin, over the years they had a very peculiar relationship, but if you had to ask, they did indeed see each other as friends, he admired her talents despite his anger at her pompous personality from time to time and the mutual sort of hatred they shared.

Shirou closed his eyes and went to sleep.

"Hopefully he'll be able to leave in a few weeks."

X

It was the night of Shirou's tenth birthday, he had a small lit cake in the middle of his room, the King of Heroes was standing by the door, looking impatient, tapping his feet by unto the wooden floor.

The priest lazily was drinking some wine with his same old expression, he didn't really care much for the stuff, he just did so for almost no reason at all.

By Shirou's side was Rin who had a very flustered look on her face, she was lying on the floor along with Shirou and the room was dark other then the candle light of the cake.

The room wasn't too large so she was practically in a step or two away from everyone else in the room.

Nobody sang happy birthday, everyone in the room wasn't really that sort of person.

So the cake was divided and eaten surprisingly quickly, since Kotomine had bought Chinese food today and they had eaten it just before, so the King, Shirou and Rin tried to get the spices out of their mouth.

Rin soon left, yet Kotomine and the King didn't while Shirou was practising some light reinforcement on a metal bar.

The clock made a small alarm, an hour passed with an eerily silence as Shirou felt uncomfortable with the two men just standing silently in the room.

The moment the alarm ended Gilgamesh picked up Shirou and dragged him outside.

Shirou was ten now, so as the priest promised it was time they taught Shirou how to fight the conventional way.

The church had a bounded field up and it was night time, it was the only place and time they could train due to Kotomine, since they would gather far too much attention anywhere else.

The air distorted around the King and a multitude of weapons began to come out of a golden light. "These are all of my treasures boy. You will not mistreat them and they are mine, marvel at their glory."

Shirou was excited. The original weapons, inventions and ideas of all the world, treasures of the King. Too him it was like a bunch of toys.

Gilgamesh threw a golden flask like bottle at Shirou, who stumbled but caught it. "Drink it." It was a strong simple command. The boy didn't even have to think.

He downed the contents without as much as a complaint, it had tasted bitter, sweet and nutritious all at once. He raced his teeth over his tongue to take the taste out.

The child knelt down and placed the bottle on the ground, gently and carefully.

Then it came. A flash of golden light aiming at Shirou's body. Instinct and new found strength flared in the boys mind. His body twisted and made a small hop in the air as his hands stretched out and grasped what was thrown at him.

A short golden lance. The King didn't look at all surprised.

He hadn't fired that weapon at a high speed, it was very slow by his standards. A decent magus or martial artist probably would have been able to catch it.

Gilgamesh swayed one of his hands forward and two more weapons emerged and launched at the red haired boy like miniature bolts of lightning!

The boys reaction was far too slow this time, he had stretched out the lance in an attempt to slash at the two objects but they were too fast.

The first projectile ricocheted off the lances small side and had passed just under his right ear so it hadn't down anything but shake the child.

Yet the second shot met it's mark, it ripped off the edge of a fair bit of skin and flesh off Shirou's left arm.

"Tch." The King was slightly disappointed.

Shirou's wounds began to heal up within a few moments though. Shirou stared as new skin wrapped over the wound and new blood recovered what he lost.

He turned to the right and saw Kotomine in the distance, watching rather dully. He was going to heal any wounds Shirou got.

Shirou shook his left arm a few times and then focused again he prepared the lance, pointing at the earth with the tip of the blade and the rest of it reached upwards.

It looked ridiculous for such a tiny child to wield such a weapon.

Shirou's eyes narrowed and he stared at the golden gate, perhaps the loss of blood woke up his senses or the elixir he drank was fully kicking in, he was on guard and focused as much as he could be.

Three shining daggers burst forth at a superior speed then the previous ones. Shirou roared, pushed his body upwards and thrust the lance as quickly as he could.

A small clash of metal. One dagger fell to the ground. Shirou turned the lance and swung it inwards. It had been a extreme clumsy movement but it repelled another dagger, it dropped just by his feet.

The third dagger however plunged deep into his right shoulder. A small fountain of blood began to erupt from the wound. The lance fell to the ground and clanged against the floor.

A sniffle of a pained cry left the child's throat, yet he grit his teeth and held the pain in, wincing as his breath sped up.

He wasn't going to be weak... he wasn't going to disappoint the hero who saved him. He had to be strong, stronger then any mortal man, to be worthy of being called son.

The little child yelled and pulled the dagger from his shoulder as the wound began to close up. It his hands it felt right, perfect.

He could feel the shape, the weight and height perfectly, measuring and memorising every factor of the short bladed weapon.

He swung it in the air a few times, a small smile crept unto his face.

He heard the wind bend and hiss, the boy brought himself to his full height and stared what was coming at him down.

Again three small sharp and deadly daggers.

Kotomine's eyes widened for a minute.

It had happened fairly quickly, not up to his speed or a servants or even that of a reinforced magus but perhaps faster than the movements of an average man.

Shirou could feel as if time slowed, the moment and the daggers moving like the tiny movements of an insect, he quickly and instinctively reacted.

Shirou had parried the first dagger with a simple, quick and agile movement.

That technique seemed actually fairly refined, then he had curved downwards to repel the second shot and caught it in his left hand.

The boy then threw one of his daggers at the final incoming one, causing both to fall to the ground harmlessly.

Shirou collapsed on his feet, he was almost at his limit, even with his boy strengthened the amount of stamina he could use hadn't improved by much.

His head felt hazy, his mind was flooded with memories and concepts he couldn't begin to understand as he was now, it almost felt like his mind was overloading.

"Gilgamesh, let him wield an axe." Kotomine's voice was not loud but calm, deep and firm, strong enough to be heard despite the distance between them.

A few hatchets flew forth and landed in a circle around Shirou, who got up and dropped the dagger in his hand with a disappointed expression.

He bent and grasped two hatchets and stood again, Gilgamesh waved a finger and this time five daggers fired out of the gate. The King was getting bored.

It happened almost instantaneously, Shirou tried to guard but failed, the hatchets fumbled and he fell to the ground with the daggers embedded into his soft flesh.

He cried out in pain, closed his eyes and held his breath.

"Sword." The King summoned a rather large European sword and once again it landed by the boy's feet.

The daggers fell out of Shirou, who yelled, stretched out his little arms and wrapped his hands against the hilt of the blade.

Shirou screamed at the top of his lungs, he used the blade to position his body upwards and make him rise back to the top of his height.

He pulled the sword form the shattered ground with a triumphant roar.

Flexing his hands he balanced the blade perfectly, standing almost upright except for the slight bend of his body to position his stance.

Shirou had taken a rather clumsy but accurate stance for wielding a sword, his eyes were now alight with some sort of blazing strength.

Nobody expected what happened next, Shirou began to charge, blade in hand, slowly rising it above his head for a powerful overhead strike.

The King fired a spear faster then he had expected as a small innate reaction, Shirou brought the blade forth and the metal skidded across the length of the spear, veering it off course just enough to not harm him.

Gilgamesh fired a sword at the charging boy, who in response lifted the sword and repelled it with a perfect parry.

Shirou brought the blade as far as he could from his waist, aiming to build momentum and weight on its side for a powerful horizontal slash.

The sight of the little child holding a large two handed sword was as ridiculous as it was amazing, the King had but the slightest of smiles now.

This was what he had seen, a fiery passion and soul in the boys eyes, movements and expressions, that of a great warrior...

The King fired a small arsenal of weapons at the boy, among them two lances, an axe, a sword, a dagger and a Chinese Halberd!

Shirou slashed with a rising horizontal arc, most of the weapons were repelled at that moment... but the halberd came crashing down on the boys leg, ripping right through it and leaving some of the child's bones revealed.

Shirou howled to the sky as he fell on his knees and began to roll from the pain and the sensation of cold hard steel in his body.

It took a few minutes for the wound to heal and the weapon to be forced out.

Shirou's eyesight began to fade, the world looked hazy, all he could clearly see was the golden figure in front of him, so far away.

Kotomine approached and handed the sword that fell from his hands to Shirou.

"Reinforcement magic, try it on this."

Shirou obeyed. He closed his eyes and gripped the weapon before him tightly with his fragile hands, concentrating on every detail.

Weight, length, nature, legend, history of the sword, locate all the gaps in it, fill it with prana, strengthen the weapon and let the magic flow naturally into it.

He opened his eyes and the priest took it, examined it closely and nodded faintly.

"Shirou, imagine the blade and everything about it. Then try to recreate it with your power, do you understand? Replicate this blade exactly as it is."

Shirou closed his eyes again, the details of the blade were fresh in his mind, almost as if it had never left his hands, a blueprint like image hit his mind of the workings of the sword...

Within his hands he began to feel an odd energy and a unusual weight, something was being manifested, it looked like a mirage or a vague memory from a dream but it was definitely sword shaped and resembled the blade in the priests hands.

The image became still and was solidified, in the boy's hands was the exact same weapon as the ones in the priests.

It shattered and Shirou keeled over, he was too tired to stay conscious.

He breathed lightly and slowly as his mind was overtaken by an image of the sword he held...

A dark green grip, a white orb for a pommel caged by three stripes of gold, a golden hilt with a centrepiece of darkness that stretched into a a forest green blade mixed with a holy silver light...

X

Projection magic, normally seen as a worthless higher level or reinforcement, recreating a image from a magi's mind.

It degrades because it does not belong in the world, however Shirou's version of projection seemed different.

Shirou seemed to recreate every aspect of the object in question rather then just using imagination or an image.

Kotomine broke it down into seven steps for Shirou, who at the time did not understand what most of the words meant.

One, judging the concept of creation.

Two, hypothesising the basic structure.

Three, duplicating the composition material.

Four, imitating the skill of its making.

Five, sympathising with the experience of its growth.

Six, reproducing the accumulated years.

Seven, excelling every manufacturing process.

Kotomine made a note of this and stuck it to the small board in Shirou's room.

As for practise itself, Shirou could only replicate that one sword particularly well.

Shirou had replicated many things but only weapon like objects seemed to be any good, and even then most of his creations faded in mere seconds.

Kotomine was still holding the sword Shirou projected earlier in right hand, hanging it downwards absent mindedly.

Rin had poked fun at Shirou repeatedly because he could only do projection and reinforcement, though she occasionally silenced herself whenever Shirou reinforced his own body or projected something weapon like, she couldn't deny the skill of what he did have, but she wouldn't let him know that.

Eventually Kotomine told Shirou to just focus projecting the sword and reinforcing his eyes repeatedly.

Of course each sword was worse then the last however they would not fade or break, they seemed almost as if they weren't something to be rejected by the world.

They was a level of consistency with the blades and to a normal person they would have all looked and felt the same.

Shirou tired of having to reinforce his eyes and then cancelling it's effects, only to repeat the process without much effect if any at all, at least from his mind.

Kotomine thought differently... maybe, it could be possible, if he could do what he wanted in mind then...

It was too soon to be sure, steps three to six where the main problem with his theory, for now it wouldn't hurt to build Shirou to test the theory.

After Rin had left Kotomine approached Shirou.

"Shirou, you can remember the experiences of the sword correct? Do you know who this belonged too?" The priests words were not one that truly questioned, rather they just wanted to see a reaction.

"The way the person felt... um stuffy but heroic for me for some reason, I prefer the sword by itself more, it works with me, even if it doesn't always... click with me?" The answer caused a look of intrigue within the priest, the blade itself, the legend of the blade but not the wielder...

"Shirou, do you know how to use this sword the way the previous user did?" Shirou nodded almost immediately without any doubt in movement.

It explained why Shirou could use weapons with quite some skill, despite not being the right size or using the weapon before.

Kotomine was finally fairly interested in the boy, he was going to do everything in his power to make Shirou an expert at this, this talent was interesting and with the boy's natural inquisitive and curious nature, the final result might be very satisfying.

The King of Heroes was somewhat angered that the boy could only copy the magnificence of his treasures.

Replicating such a thing is a feat surely by the normal persons standards... but to him they were nothing but fakes, a shadow of the original. To have his servant merely copy him in every way... while somewhat pathetically and pitifully endearing it didn't set to well with him.

But then again a fake him representing a fraction of his power seemed poetic... but still the thought of his own handiwork being nothing but a faker enraged him, the King now had a thought it his mind. He wanted the boy to be able to build up his own way, to make his own legend instead of a flawed pilfering of his treasures.

Time passed and in a few years the Holy Grail War will begin... until then Shirou had a few more normal years to look forward to, he was thirteen years old now, middle school was on the horizon.


	3. How Legends Are Born

King Of Fakers: Chapter 2 Disposition.

Author's Note:

Please read this. This chapter is unedited because all eligible editors have tests or work or have festive season responsibilities. So the grammar in this will be more horrible then the previous two... but I think the content is better a tad.

I really hope this entertains people and most importantly myself. If anything seems OOC or wrong or I messed up a mechanic...

Well inform me and I shall deal with it when I have the free time.

Also cameos which are maybe a tiny bit OOC.

Also... if anyone would want to be a beta/editor... please for the love of god speak now!

Shirou was standing outside the gates of a fairly large school.

He was 13 now, today was the first day of middle school, the red haired child grinned with shining fangs, he was resembling the man he revered more everyday, even just a little.

Shirou had a distaste for rules, and so he had modified some clothing he saw his father own, with a few looks into Sumerian designs and the like attaching it to the clothing, the school emblem was apparently and the basics were the same, it was the uniform, but it was definitely different.

Edges were of elegant somewhat shining blue with stripes of gold attached, it wasn't much different yet it stood out enough, as if to say he was above the rest.

There was a bit of a commotion. Shirou had come a bit earlier then what was required... and now he blocked the students from entering.

He stretched out his arms as if he was trying to grab the whole crowd of confused students.

"Rejoice! All of you are my subjects from this day forth!"

A truly sincere and serene smile washed over the crowd as Shirou closed his eyes and made a wide shining smile...

A small groan of annoyance from one particular voice, while the majority were in a stunned charmed and awed silence.

A petite red figure with dark hair walked past the crowd, her movements in a perfect lady like posture, a few startles at her appearance, she was pretty.

"Shirou... don't you think you should move so the students can be let in? Doing such outlandish things may make the school think badly of you... furthermore that... uniform is it appropriate?"

Coming from the little lady wearing a red coat over her uniform...

Her face couldn't be seen by anyone else, but to Shirou is was a tiny devilish smirk... something about it always caused Shirou two things.

One, a feeling of dread at times... two a elation, he liked it.

He gave back his fanged charming grin back, Rin had similar feelings disgust and for some reason she couldn't help but feel charmed by it, she hated that. He could make anyone like him.

Shirou sighed, well he didn't want to get in too much trouble on the first day. Setting a good example and excelling were good for a royal image, even if he hated following rules.

Though causing problems for the fake priest was rather enjoyable...

But he satiated his need to waste the man's time, he had work to do, make everyone in this school his! He took out a far better chart then the one he made 5 years ago.

He attached it to the nearby wall next to the gate and pointed, the eyes of the crowd surged like a wave at it, as if still entranced by Shirou's charisma.

They looked at it, the illustrations were fairly good... and a slow dreadful irking spread throughout the crowds veins, chilling their bones.

Then two fingers hit above Shirou's image. The red haired kid turned with a ferocious almost reflex like glare at the two, who would dare to place themselves above himself!

"Because, you worship someone other then yourself, despite all your skill."

A fairly deep male voice rang out from one of the people pointing to the chart.

"But were below who you revere... because if you loved a person that much then we have no right to judge them." A light jovial female voice.

The figures were one female and a male, looking similar, wearing the brown school uniform and had shiny yet somewhat dark brown hair.

The male was significantly taller then the girl and had a confident look to his face.

The female was looking what could only be described as a stoic, somewhat tsundere happiness.

A small grunt from Shirou who then smiled and dragged their fingers to just above a few indents.

The atmosphere also seemed to drop with that movement. Their eyes locked, as if the air was filled with static growling electricity.

The clash of souls was stopped when they noticed a person crawl past, place his fingers just below and indent, tapped it and walked past to the edge of the school gate next to a bluish haired teen, he had spiky black hair, looked somewhat special... yet incredibly dull.

"Ha! You actually think people will care? Nobody here even knows you, why should they care about some kid with a weird complex?"

Some rough laughter came from his voice... a very arrogant feeling seeped from his very core.

Shirou didn't like it. He ignored the two brown haired teens and marched to the man who had dare accuse him of being inferior.

He walked straight up to him, Shirou was never good at thinking about personal space. They faces were close, their eyes locked in a ferocious battle.

He had purple like wavy hair and looked by normal standards attractive.

Shinji was unsettled... but his face became one of anger and pride. "I'm Matou Shinji! You don't know who your dealing with."

A small silence for a second, "My name is Shirou... Matou. And I don't like you."

The bell rang. The day was about to start.

X

Shirou slammed his hand against the board as he wrote "Your Majesty, Shirou".

"I trust you'll all be good subjects." Shirou walked into the centre of the classroom, next to a male student and stood straight, closing his eyes, and had a look of frustration.

"...Please get out of my seat, subject." The student looked up at Shirou with a look of confusion.

"But... this is my seat." Shirou's glare intensified.

"Do you expect me to be nothing less then the centre of attention? A King is to be revered by everyone at all times. The centre's just the best place for that right?"

Surprisingly he did ask it as a genuine question yet in a very loud voice...

"Hm... well I think your right, for the most part. The front though may be better though, since if your in the centre some people would have to turn their heads to the side to see you, which they might not bother doing."

"Hm... yeah that sounds appropriate. Next time however, please don't challenge my judgement."

With that Shirou walked to the front centre seat in the classroom and shoved a girl off it and then sat in her place.

"Kotomine-kun! You can't just force people like that!" The home-room teacher for Shirou was a young new male teacher in his very early twenties.

"...My name is Shirou. Don't. Ever. Call. Me. Kotomine!" Shirou stuck out his right index finger and pointed it inches from the teachers eye.

The man stumbled as he tried to find the words to respond...

"Well, if you feel that way... then alright... Shirou-kun... hey! But you can't just push people around and your not supposed to sit there anyway!"

"Sigh... it's because I'm not in the proper place right? It's because you don't want students to speak to each other if they know each other too well... or you do it alphabetically so it's easier to learn peoples names right? It's the first day, you can change it with a switch of two names. Don't tell me that your so lazy you can't bother to take out a pen for five seconds..."

Shirou's voice was patronising and the will to argue was slowly being sapped away from the teacher. "Well... whatever alright... wait! That's not the most important point here! You can't just push her or anyone else around-"

"It's just a woman. Who cares?" Shirou yawned.

"Ah right it's just a woman, oh I see... yeah... do whatever you..." A small silence. "Wait! That's not right! Shirou you..." in Shirou's hands was a tape recorder. Click.

"Ah right it's just a woman... oh I see...yeah... do whatever you..." Shirou grinned like a little child.

"Hoh? Hm... is this sexism I hear Sensei?" Shirou then took a sly sharp intake of breath.

"I wonder what would happen if people found out about this? I'm sure it would damage your standing if not your job... but perhaps, I won't show it?"

"Are you not wearing proper uniform?" The question seemed to fall out of the teachers mouth.

Shirou began slowly shaking the recorder in front of the man.

"...Alright I get it... can you say sorry at least?"

"Sorry, Sensei." The words left dully from his mouth. "You didn't mean that at all!...And I meant to the girl lying on the floor!"

"Sorry cute little mongrel." Again he didn't mean it. He didn't even look her in the eye as he said it.

X

Every opportunity to be the leader of a club he pounced on. He would argue with the club heads and the teachers as if he was fighting a life and death battle...

In the end he somehow was the leader of the school council, and a joint leader of the archery club and assistants to most of the other clubs...

...And it was only the first day.

Remarkably the four exceptional people he met today also wormed their way in despite this just like Shirou did. Shinji was the vice captain of the archery club already, the spiky dull kid was already prioritised in the school newspapers.

And the two brown haired teens, who Shirou learnt were siblings, were in his council.

A person wearing glasses with dark blue hair approached Shirou and stretched out his hand.

"I'll be the vice president for the council... to be fair I'm very surprised we got our positions on the first day... I guess it just shows your charisma. So I hope we will do our best and get along."

Shirou shrugged and shook his hand, an obedient subordinate is always good.

Rin wasn't in his class. Nor were anyone else he had met this morning except the spiky haired kid.

They had talked briefly, the teen seemed idealistic at points but also very reluctant to act.

So Shirou, was very bored. He wanted the red devil to annoy him some.

Or perhaps some conflict with the twins he met earlier... or maybe a fist fight with Shinji could past the time, but he was confined to doing the menial tasks of life.

King's need to be entertained...

X

Student council, the first day. It became evident Shirou, while being a very good speaker... had no real idea what he was doing other than how to exert force and keep people in line.

Shirou could sense it, most of his people were special, even if they had got on his nerves he was slightly happy having these people around him. _"_

"President." Issei brought Shirou from his calming thoughts. "I thought I told you to call me your Majesty?" Shirou made a half hearted glare at Issei.

"President, I'm just following the rules of the hierarchy of this establishment. You joining it, is it not your acceptance of this fact? Regardless, we have work to do."

Shirou seemed to ignore Issei. He was slightly at peace but nothing was entertaining him.

A stack of papers fell before Shirou's desk.

The spiky black haired kid was here again. "Yo, President. I was told to give these to you... seems like some people are a bit... uncomforted by you. So they sent their worries to the school paper and journalism club. They're mostly letters hoping you won't do something reckless with funding."

The kid turned around and began to head for the door.

Before leaving he turned and looked at the people in the room, seeing the two brown haired twins talking about something, Issei doing actual work and Shirou making disinterested sighs as he read, and then ripped the letters with some vigour with his eyes half closed.

"Um, this may sound weird but..." The teen began to somewhat stutter, as if he couldn't find the right words or was mustering courage.

"I don't think you people are weird, but unique... like, magical? Urgh. Well anyway, see you later."

Shirou opened an eye. Shirou had sensed something from the twins and the teen that just left the room. It was similar to a magus really... but for now he would just watch and hope to be entertained.

"I'm going to sleep. Tell me when I can start ruling this school. I expect only the best Issei."

And with that Shirou laid his head on the wooden desk.

X

Shirou returned home and went to a special isolated room in the church.

He smiled. He felt the feeling of trust bestowed upon him.

A large beautiful metal craft was in the middle of the large room, a glorious faint night light surrounding it.

Vimana. A flying craft that the King of Heroes owned. Well to be fair... Shirou switched the lights on. The thing looked like an incomplete school project. Truthfully this was a lot better then the state Shirou first saw it in though.

Originally it was scarred with burn marks, ash and chipped metal, almost all of it was destroyed.

He had heard as a child how this machine had had a ferocious and beautiful battle with a jet plane with a load of flashy explosions.

The idea made Shirou's heart beat a little faster. The idea of this thing taking flight again was miraculous to him. Shirou could no even begin to try to trace this creation.

It didn't particularly seemed to... click with him, it wasn't a natural flare like when he projected swords for combat.

Shirou had spent his spare time in this room, analysing the structure and history of the machine and was able to slowly, manually rebuild it. Some things were actually easy to obtain and use to fix the machine.

However some parts... Shirou had no real idea what to do. He tried to find information on similar things that functioned the same way but had mixed success, not to mention such things would be very expensive. So far he mostly just rebuilt most of the exterior and some minor sections of the interior.

He was proud of what he did though, even the King of Heroes seemed to be minimally impressed.

Shirou had once came close to repairing it before... but it broke down. He was yelled at a lot that day and training was definitely more intense.

Shirou sat down and brought out his tools, placing his hand on the machine he focused beginning to analyse and structurally grasp every last detail of it's being and the history and life it led.

"Trace On."

X

Shirou and Shinji had been here since early in the morning.

The targets at an absurd distance were littered with arrows, the very centre of the targets seemed to be on the verge of falling out due to the pure weight and impact that had been accumulated.

Sweet dripped off the sides of their necks, noticeably more so on Shinji.

"God...dammit!" Shinji rose up and fired another arrow with near perfect aim, once again striking the bullseye. The target then slowly toppled over and with it Shinji.

The bell for the morning registration rang. Shirou walked past the fallen Shinji, only looking at his collapsed form for a brief second.

The nearby crowd had dispersed, some people followed Shirou with adoration, especially most of the archery club members. Matou Shinji hated being bested in anyway.

He could not before magecraft and his studies into it were useless if he could never actually use it.

Shinji liked being the best at things, and was talented at things.

He wasn't the heir to his family any more and now in his social life someone upstaged him... he groaned in frustration, getting up extremely aggravated.

Cursing and muttering he tried to drag his tired body to class. "...I... swear if that idiot made me late... I'll... kill him..." His vision began to become blurry. He was far too tired to continue staying awake... yet he continued to do so.

"Stupid... Sakura! Stupid School...Stupid Shirou..." Shinji spat and regretted it immediately as his legs gave way, his face collapsed in his own spit and a small trickle of blood began to leak from his right cheek.

"Fuck!" Shinji roared, and no one heard him. He mumbled more as he tried to move.

He found he couldn't. "Gah..." He began to fall asleep lying where he was, covered in his own sweat, blood and spit.

He then felt his body rise up and his vision cleared for a moment. The person who lifted him back to his feet was Shirou!

"You looked pathetic, don't spoil the view of this school with your wretched being."

A small smirk from Shirou as he walked away, as if he had no care in the world.

"Damn.. you! Get back here! I'll kick your ass!"

"Your not worth the time of day, Matou." Shinji grit his teeth as he ran forward, fists raised.

"Hrraaggghhh!" His fist missed as Shirou merely stepped to his left side, Shinji stumbling bit his lip as he tried to keep his body from falling.

A curse, a scream and another quick flailing of his fists. They touch nothing.

"Da... Dammit... stay still so I can punch your teeth out!"

Shirou dodged the next ill planned strike and snorted for a moment making a very slight smirk.

"...Did you actually expect me to do that?"

Shinji almost fell to his knees. To him everything Shirou did was to mock him.

Shirou, in fact didn't do this out of malice. He merely found Shinji's actions amusing, as if he was an animal constantly trying to escape his cage, only to fall back to the ground.

"Well... your a coward right? Why not use some magecraft instead of punching at the summer heat?Your a Matou aren't you?"

The comment felt like thousands of blades of ice being crammed into his heart, shredding him to pieces and spreading into his veins, then that too shattered. Shirou knew? That made it worse... but he threw away his thoughts and turned them to rage.

Shinji grit his teeth again began to make a small hissing and growling like sound, that slowly built up within him. "Hyeeeaaahah!" A quick uppercut, again dodged effortlessly by the red haired youth. Next a quick left hook like punch, that merely flew past Shirou's left cheek.

He rose his right fist again and smashed it down like a hammer, but all it struck was the nearby brick wall. The sound of the impact was like a mix of shattered glass and the strike of jack hammer.

Shinji grimaced as he slowly calmed his right fist with his trembling left hand... tightening it as he tried to hold in the pain... a futile effort. "Arrrrrrryyyyyaaaaggghhh!"

He fell to the floor and began to roll as if trying to distract the sensation of pain from spreading across his body. He then scrambled up cursing with every breath he could spare.

He charged again, keeping his right arm floating almost aloof, he swung his left palm out in a slap like motion, not having the care to grip it into a fist.

Shirou merely took a step back then a tiny twist to the right, and stretched out his right leg.

The all too familiar sound of flesh falling against the cold hard and unforgiving Earth, Shinji spat out the dirt and rocks that had fallen into his mouth.

He barely had the strength to stand up again. He looked like a drunken martial artist, the only thing keeping him upright was his anger, the only think keeping him away from the land of dreams was his will.

To Shirou this wasn't even close to a fight.

Shinji panted for a few moments before recovering his breath. Then he felt cold hard steel placed against his shoulder. His feet gave way and he fell on his ass.

He looked up to see that in Shirou's right hand was a shining golden silver like green sword.

"Projection?...Ha, nice try Shirou... but projections... don't work, I know that much... you..."

The blade cut a small wound near Shinji's neck.

Well that theory was just proved false. Shirou stuck the blade into the ground and turned around.

Shinji couldn't really move. He just stayed there watching. And growing more in anger every second. The blade didn't disappear.

X

Shirou had avoided being late by claiming he took Shinji to a hospital.

Of course when they would later find Shinji covered in all but one self inflicted bruise they might make a bit of a row, but Shirou's excuse would be that Shinji fell.

Which in a way was true. All Shirou really did was deal a tiny little cut, which couldn't be traced because the blade would no longer exist by that point, they wouldn't be able to prove anything, searching him would do no good. Not that they would dare even try though.

Most of the people he passed by made small smiles at him as he walked. While most did think that Shirou was weird, they couldn't help but like him.

The teachers had long given up trying to argue against him. He was technically very good academically, people always defended him and he just knew exactly how to push peoples buttons.

His arguments were always fairly solid... and if not he wouldn't allow any flaw to be taken advantage of.

Life was awesome. Mostly. Sometimes it was very boring to pay attention to lessons and some people were just normal.

Shirou wouldn't tell anyone he was happy, but he gave off a feeling of being happy, whenever he spent time around Rin, Shinji, or those people he met.

They tore away the basics of everyday... even if they annoyed him.

X

Shirou was at the entrance of the Church grounds. It was night... the scene was quite.

"Ah crap! Stealth training!" Shirou projected his favourite sword, Durendal and smashed his back against a nearby wall. "You can't get me you fake priest! I'm my backs against a wall then you can't hit me from behind!"

Shirou began to sweat. He absolutely _hated_ stealth training with all his heart.

It was perhaps one of the only things in this entire world he actually _feared_.

"_Okay... okay think rationally... reinforcing eyes... check. Okay now... look for any jogging slightly darker then night figures and the fires of hell..." _

The suspense was killing him. He swore under his breathe but then stopped the movements of his mouth. He was never sure exactly how Kotomine did it but even a single movement seemed to give away his position.

He slowed down his breathing... he tried to control his muscles, even reinforce them.

Shirou's grip was shaking, wavering with every moment... sweat began to fall unto the floor like bullets... every drop sounded like a raging storm to Shirou, who has just now reinforced his ears.

If there was anything in the world that could make him panic it was certainly this.

_Thang!_ Shirou could barely turn his neck to see a metal blade in his shadow.

His pupils dilated, it was done. He had lost... he lost. He lost. Shirou lost.

The shining golden cross, the deep dark black figure moving in almost a sinister jovial jog towards his position... the gleaming long blades held in the man's right fingers... and the steaming red in his left hand. With what little movement Shirou had left he futilely tried to break free, and he began to scream. "No! No! God dammit no!" He regretted the god dammit.

"Hoh? Blasphemy Shirou? It seems you'll get another portion today."

Shirou felt like crying. He began to make movements that looked like a mix of flailing and break-dancing...

Shirou recited every curse he knew in the back of his mind, keeping them away from his mouth.

Kirei dropped the blades around Shirou, embedding into the ground.

Then he placed his now free fingers onto Shirou's neck for a moment.

"Fuck! You! Kiiiiirrrrrerreeeeiiiii!"The roar came out against Shirou's will.

"I guess that's three now." The priest's deep voice was menacing and Shirou's mouth opened wide due to the magic cast on him.

Kirei lifted the red boiling and steaming bowl of mapo tofu, took out some chopsticks, and began tunnelling the contents into Shirou's throat.

The muscles of Shirou's throat and mouth began to move, consuming the rice, the tofu, the hot spices. If his sweat before was a storm of bullets now it would be a tempest of maelstroms.

Shirou's eyes began to create delicious tears of agony as his taste buds began to relay the fire of hell devouring them to the brain and the senses of his entire being.

He made attempts to throw the food out... he even tried to reinforce his body functions to push it out or digest it quicker... but this utterly failed and only made the pain worse.

Finally that bowl was done, but the torture was only about to begin.

Kotomine poured a small meagre glass of water down Shirou's throat, who tried to take up every drop of moisture from it he could.

Shirou was going to make sure that Kotomine pays for this, in some way or another.

He would also remind himself to never stay out too late... but knowing Kotomine it might not help much.

Hidden, in the not too far distance the King of Heroes had signs of a wavering face.

Truly, this boy was could soon become a hero, for he has tasted the fires of hell...

The King grimaced as the third bowl was brought out, Gilgamesh summoned a gem encrusted flask and chugged the contents down. Just watching this was painful.

X

Another night, another bit of Vimana.

Shirou was proud. Who could possibly say they rebuilt a ancient flying machine that could move at the speed of thought at the age of 15?

He... couldn't. While most of it indeed looked as it was before it was destroyed...

It didn't work yet, once it had showed signs of perhaps floating but it was still just broken junk.

He took out some paint and began giving the old metal the glamour of its old look.

Shirou smiled as he made little well planned strokes on the throne he had rebuilt, he began to day dream of soaring through the skies, decimating even the God's themselves with naught but a blade.

X

"Okay it's settled then! Our next big scoop will be at that haunted house! Shirou-kun thank you for helping us out! You too Tohsaka-san! Oh I almost forgot! Matou-kun were counting on you too!"

Shirou yawned and looked sleepy as he stood in front of the large old Japanese mansion.

Shinji made a clear face of boredom and frustration. He was only here because he had been attending the archery club lately and needed to get the teachers off his back.

Rin had the same reason. She looked disinterested at the scene. The plan was that Matou, Shirou and herself would enter the building, find evidence of the local ghost stories, failing that refute it.

No one from the journalism club or the school paper were actually going to help them. Besides one.

The spiky haired black kid... Rin realised that nobody ever really referred to him by name.

They usually just told him to do something and it would happen.

Oh well. Not like she needed to know.

The group of four headed into the building. Their footsteps made creaks as they moved across the wooden floor. Shinji stayed at the back, Shirou at the front, the teen and Rin just behind him, they each held a small torch to light their way.

The place was rather eerie, paintings of traditional Japanese spirits decorated the walls, all pointed forward with their eyes. The inside of the place honestly didn't look too different from a normal traditional Japanese house... except this was far far larger... and had corridors of shadow that never seemed to end.

"The ghost story went like this... there's a hidden basement below that-" The teen began as the floor collapsed beneath the party, who landed on a lower layer of wood, a cloud of dust formed as they tried to gather their surroundings, coughing and brushing could be heard, and then the dust cleared.

"Well. We found it." Shirou stated the obvious. The group looked around the room.

Bones. A pile of old bones from ages past. A small uneasy silence from most of them.

The stench of age old death, clear deep cut marks were upon the littered skeletons.

"The rumours were true... maybe this place really is haunted?" As in response to the air suddenly became colder, a large gust of wind blasted from the nearby corridor.

"Members of this samurai family had went to war, and experienced things so horrible they went mad. Because it would be bad for their image to kill them... they were used as entertainment, acting like gladiators because each of the madmen believed they were still on the battlefield..."

"Fighting for a way home, to those they loved, to those that knew once mocked them, to bring honour home. But instead the ones who should have loved them... only death awaited them."

In response a large cackling war cry surged through the nearby corridor, fracturing the wooden floor, the heaving of metal and stumbling steps approached them.

"...Shirou, this place really is haunted. Get ready to run..." Rin began, but Shirou instead charged towards the direction of the roar. "You run Rin! I'll kill it!"

"Idiot! Get back here!" A flash of silver and a small spurt of blood. A clear sword wound occurred on the body of Shirou.

Shirou barely flinched, he leapt back and projected Durendal, the blade shone in his hand and glowed as Shirou swiped forward, blade meeting blade.

Another lightning quick ray of light.

Shirou had leapt back in time to cause the enemy attack to merely graze his left cheek.

The figure was clear now... an ephemeral like being. It's head was marred with battle scars, his eyes pure white, the armour he wore in shards of crimson, his rusty steel blade dripping blood.

It howled it's scream for freedom again and charged swinging the blade like the maniac it was!

Shirou defended himself as well as he could. The knowledge of Durendal had no experience in battling the swords of Japan.

The samurai's movements weren't helping either, they were seemingly random, the hunk of metal in it's right hand seemed to be in some sort of ritualistic dance that cried for sweet red liquids.

The pressure from the insane barrage of brutality were completely inhuman, Shirou had to reinforce his arms just to make sure he didn't drop his weapon from the impact of the attacks.

Shinji was frozen in fear. Rin tried preparing a spell but with the rapid movements of the warriors she couldn't get a proper aimed shot without hurting Shirou.

Furthermore the black haired kid with them wasn't a magus so... but Shirou kind of threw out the idea of secrecy quickly. The teen seemed to be concentrating on Shirou with a cold stare.

"Block to the right, Shirou!" The teen yelled and Shirou did so, the perfectly timed block unbalanced the spirit that was clearly having the upper hand until then.

"Don't order me around mongrel!" Shirou moved back as the being forced its body forward!

He didn't have much space... soon it would be close to Rin and the others. He wasn't going to let that happen!"Dodge to the left, strike his right shoulder!"

Shirou gritted his teeth as he did as he was told, a feeling of actual impact upon physical form could be felt through the force resonating through the blade.

"Up!" Flashes of metal once again. Then a flurry of them. Shirou tried to guard the storm of blows but found nothing but blood for his efforts.

"It's fighting as if every moment could mean it's death! Finish it off... duck, back and slash his waist!" Shirou begrudgingly complied, he bent down, rolled his body back, dropping his sword, then pushed forward and projected another blade, which made a shining arc as Shirou pushed forward for the final blow. The orders given were a perfect counter.

"Duren-!" Shirou reinforced the sword, filling every gap he could with his prana. He wasn't going to let this thing survive any longer!

"Dal!" The shining silver blade seemed to explode a flurry of holy light throughout the whole mansion as it ripped through the spirit, slicing it in two... it broke into pieces, finding rest.

The malice in the air was gone. Shirou took a moment to rest as his swords disappeared from the world. The first taste of killing intent in battle. It felt exciting, yet horrifying.

X

The group reached the outside of the mansion. The black haired teen was sleeping on the grass while the three magi, well technically two due to Shinji having no ability, took a few breathes and looked deep in thought.

"Tch, that was cruel Tohsaka, the moment Shirou killed that thing you knocked him out and erased his memory of the events? You really are a red devil... but I like that."

Shinji's failure of a sleazy flirt collapsed as Rin completely ignored him.

"It looks like he could see spirits easily... he even seemed to be able to predict what it did before it even happened. That thing was probably a wraith... I'm surprised the fake priest didn't get rid of it. Well I don't trust him to do his job, anyway."

Shirou was angry. "Why did I have to carry him!"

"Because he saved your life? I think that's reason enough." Tohsaka made a sly smile.

The idea of Shirou being "saved" by anybody even remotely was amusing for Rin and Shinji.

"Anyway Matou-kun can take care of it now, I mean don't you know him better then us?"

Shirou got the hint from her words, he ran off, and so did Rin.

"Wait! I don't even know his name dammit!"

Shinji growled... he couldn't leave the kid there... what infuriated him even more was that he was special, he probably had magical potential, unlike himself.

Begrudgingly Shinji picked him up... then realised that school was closed and he had no idea where the kid lived.

"T...Tohsaka!" Screamed throughout the deep dark night skies.

X

Various members of the class... including himself were dressed in traditional Japanese clothing.

It was July the 7th Tanabata.

Pretty much everyone including the teachers were in a good mood and thus allowed the clothing in school today... they were near the end of the year anyway.

Except for a single person... the red devil, Tohsaka Rin. Shirou got up and ran out of the room, hoping to head her off before she went home.

Reinforcing his legs, being careful not to exert too much strength, rushed through the halls, dodging the other students and teachers in the hall with quick and agile dodging movements, knocking some people off their feet because of the impact he made as he ran.

He charged down the stairs and leapt out! Success.

A very shocked and confused Rin store at a Shirou panting before her, trying to catch his breath.

"..Huff...huff... R-rin... dress up in yukata... now..."

Rin paused for a moment, jaw agape, before realising what Shirou meant.

"Shirou... I don't have a yukata, I'm not interested in this anyway."

Shirou got up and grabbed her arm, pulling himself up to her eye level and so close their faces were almost touching. "...I would very much like it if you attended, Rin."

Her heart stopped for a second. Then beat faster then she could ever remember, her face turning as red as the rubies she was so fond of.

"...S-Shirou, don't get so close!" She tried to move away but he kept his grip on her.

"Only when you promise to come to the festival today." No threat or malice. Not a plead nor a command. A simple beautiful statement.

"...Urgh. W-well! I'll... think about it. Can you let me go now Shirou?"

Shirou smiled and let her go, she hurried away moving quickly with her legs, as if the red blush in her face would fade away, as if she was running from it.

In a way she was. Or at least the cause of it.

X

Rin saw a large sign reading "Welcome Rin! I knew you would come!" …

She hated how Shirou could get her to do things. He yukata was red off course and had some small goldfish on it, it shone in the moonlight, in her left hand was a fan.

"Yo! Rin!" Shirou, the smiling idiot as always, dressed in a dark green kimono with golden indiscernible patterns that created a powerful and strong impression, in his right hand was a simple Japanese fan for events like these.

He ran over and grabbed her free hand with his free one, dragging her across the school grounds that had been filled with students who set up stalls and those who were enjoying the entertainment.

They made red faces and began to chatter to themselves staring at Shirou and Rin who were quickly going from stall to stall, playing the games and eating the various food quickly, Rin stumbled as she did so though.

She tried to argue that people were staring at them and that she couldn't do all these things as quickly as she was... but her words fell on deaf ears... or rather ones too excited to hear her pleas.

Shirou finally stopped after a few hours... he sat at the top of the school's main entrance steps along with Rin, in the distance he saw the twins dressed in colourful clothing, the girl had a pony tail and the guy had a small male samurai version.

Rin finally caught her breath, actually she had a chance for that when Shirou had to catch goldfish... he didn't accept defeat or no for an answer.

"Geez! Why did you have to rush it! I didn't have fun at all... I didn't even want to do this but you made me do it anyway!"

Shirou just stared at the crescent moon with a serene expression.

"Father and the Fake Priest made me do a lot of training over the years, you know that too Rin. But you have some more free time then me. I've never really participated in events like this before. It was fun..._thanks_ for coming here."

The "thanks" was somewhat strained, as if he really didn't want to use the word. Yet he smiled regardless. Rin was screaming in her mind. _"Why does he only at like this once in awhile! And why always when it's just me around!"_

Usually even when alone Shirou and herself would antagonise each other. But once in a blue moon he did this. The problem was that every word he said was never regretted. They were short, simple and sweet to her ears.

Actually this was her first time too... well sort of. She could remember a hazy image of something like this a long time ago... memories of her mother came to mind.

So they sat in silence. And made the smallest of smiles as fireworks were launched in the air, igniting into a display of shooting shining stars.

Soon the Summer would be upon them. And the end of their middle school years. In the back of Shirou's mind the familiar bell he had heard for the last three or so years rang one last time.

X

Shirou was sixteen now. High school was about to begin.

And just like on his first day of middle school he was blocking the gates before anyone even got there... this time with a huge banner reading "Join me!"

The crowd of students, the ones who had known him in middle school merely sighed, wrote up notes saying "Fine" or "Alright" and "Gladly", handing them to Shirou who let them pass as he inspected each one.

Eventually the students just couldn't argue or get past Shirou and resigned with a half hearted yes, not really caring about it.

And so for the students of Fuyuki the charming red head forced his way into their hearts.

Except a few and obviously Matou Shinji. Rin... was a special case.

The day began swimmingly.

X

Shirou, for some reason did not enter the classroom, waiting for every student and the teacher to enter. The teacher was a young light brown haired and eyed woman, with a tiger striped shirt, she wore a green apron over it. She didn't seem to notice Shirou.

"I'm Fujimura Taiga your new-" She began to the class, but Shirou leapt in out of nowhere and scooped her up into his arms, carrying her like a groom would a bride.

A deep deathly silence... with looks of despair and red faces.

"From this day forth this woman is mine! Along with al you girls! Mongrel men... prove yourselves to me and we shall conquer the world with you at my feet!"

Shirou had decided to this before attending. His reason? He thought that by subjugating the teacher he could get to do what he wanted more.

...The sound of bamboo striking against a surface. Shirou winced ever so slightly.

The woman had token a shinai out of a nearby bag and has struck Shirou repeatedly with it in an instant...

Shirou's mind registered two things. Her sword skill was actually good. He could feel that due to the knowledge he gained through tracing weapons... and that the strikes actually hurt!

Shirou collapsed, dropping the woman... who landed on top of him. Shirou felt a slight energy coming from the shinai... the blade looked like tiger stripes... perhaps it was mildly cursed?

"Tiger?" He said, though it was somewhat muffled, looking at the small tiger strap at the end of the wooden sword.

The air was filled with killing intent. Like a beast staring at it's prey from afar, gearing it's heels to launch itself unto the target, sinking all it's teeth and claws into the poor creature with all of it's blood-lust...

Taiga stood up. Grasped the shinai tightly. And roared. "Don't call me Taiga!"

She growled as she smashed the blade into Shirou's forehead, causing a small bruise.

Shirou would learn not to toy with this woman in the future, but for now...

"Hey, Fujimura Sensei... did you just hit a student? ...I'm sure it would cause you a great deal of stress if I informed your superiors. I mean all my dear subjects here are witnesses to this event."

Shirou got up and made a slight mock bow, smiling devilishly at the woman.

The other students in the class just looked away. They really couldn't be bothered to get in a battle between a king and a tiger. The argument would be too tough... so they all resigned to lifting their hands up lazily, supporting Shirou.

The woman's eyes rolled round in circles of disbelief. "So... how about a deal? You teach me sword lessons and I don't tell your bosses about this?" It wasn't really open for discussion. Taiga just nodded... she messed up on the first day. She hadn't expected this.

The day then went on without a hitch, Shirou winning his place on the archery club and student council easily again... because no one seemed to bother opposing him.

X

It had been a few days since he joined high school. And a problem was already on him.

He had stayed behind in the school to repair the broken appliances. He left at sunset, hoping to get home before nightfall to avoid the priests training.

He was surrounded by large muscular men wearing black suits and sunglasses.

"So... what do you mongrels want?" Shirou's very voice seemed to get on their nerves.

"You've been coercing the bosses granddaughter... making her give you... private lessons by what we've heard... do you mind if we knock a little sense into you, kid?"

They cracked a few knuckles. Shirou smirked his bestial fang like smirk. He really liked it, it reminded him of his Father.. and the look always pissed people off. Case in point, their leader charged in and attacked him with a mix of martial arts and street fighting.

Shirou easily blocked, his strength far better then the average human due to the elixir he slowly consumed over the years, coupled with his combat training.

However their styles did off throw him a bit, he didn't particularly practice with eastern weapons and thus lacked good knowledge of how to counter the movements.

He heavily parried his opponents right punch, gripped the arm and broke it.

The man's howl of pain soared through the hearts of the other Yakuza thugs, stumbling their petty resolve to beat up a kid.

Shirou made small sly movements with this right hand, the "come on, bring it" look.

Shirou smashed his left foot into the stomach of the first man to respond to his taunt at an almost blinding speed, the thug tumbled over and began to vomit.

They attacked as a group now. Shirou softened the combination of desperate and enraged fists with careful use of his arms, and usually followed up with an attack. The problem?

They did the same. He was outnumbered. In strength surely he could win...

But skill and numbers plays a big part in battle. He was, even if by the smallest margin, being overwhelmed.

Then the thugs dropped to the floor, still as if they were dead, but Shirou could still sense their breath and he had seen... even if only vaguely what happened.

Standing before Shirou was one of the school teachers, he was tall, wore a deep dark green suit and had straight glasses, very narrow features and dark hair.

He had struck each of the thugs lightly in the neck with an unorthodox and extremely fast method of attack that Shirou barely could see let alone comprehend. There was a beauty in those precise and deadly movements.

"Teach me how to fight like that." Left Shirou's mouth.

Truthfully he was interested in Asian culture, having been raised on European culture and the information of Babylon, whenever he asked Kotomine or his Father to take him somewhere to celebrate things such as festivals they didn't care.

He was told by the King of Heroes that all other races and cultures were inferior to his own, so he shouldn't care about them, but then again children always disobey their parents every once in a while... especially at this age.

"No. You couldn't even if I was willing to teach." The man adjusted his glasses, his voice lacked almost any emotion at all. He too spoke as if his words were fact, but not out of arrogance but as a nature of the spirit in his voice.

So Shirou did the only thing logical when he was deprived of things.

Try to take it by god damned force!

"Kiyah!" Shirou tried to memorise a martial art technique as he rushed forth at the man.

He closed in and forced his being forward, reinforcing his body further and moved both arms downwards in a raking like motion.

His effort was effortlessly dodged by the teacher who swerved to the side and smashed Shirou against a nearby wall with a very basic but well formed kick.

"Kuh!" Shirou regained his composure. He felt as if the wind in his lungs were ripped out of him with that one kick!

"Baijiquan doesn't not suit you." Another dully said statement.

Shirou switched back to normal fists... for some reason he knew that move wouldn't be any fun... and he didn't like it too much anyway.

This only motivated him more, a challenge.

"Rrraaaarrrrggggghhh!" Shirou propelled his body forward with all his strength, his body was like a speeding blazing bullet, aimed straight at his opponents head!

He struck forth with a swing of his right fist! Easily parried with a swift and graceful movement like flowing water.

Shirou was struck by a well executed rising kick as he tried to find his footing.

His body fell limply to the floor for a moment... but he rose his body to stand again.

Perhaps the slightest look of surprise was on the man's face.

"Control your breathing. Keep it an normal pace at all times."

It had begun. Their fists were the wrath of the gods, their movements the ever changing sea and their kicks the sound of crumbling mountains.

It was as if it was a battle of dragons.

X

And so Shirou began to learn Eastern Swordsmanship from Taiga and various martial arts from Kuzuki Souichirou, not what he had used on that day... but still he enjoyed it. He even wore blue Chinese martial art clothing, the type seen in martial art movies when they practised.

Though to be fair the first few months were essentially Shirou ambushing the man and forcing a fight, until Shirou seemed to believe the teacher had given up resisting and gradually taught him, even if it was only a single phrase or how to keep basic form.

All in all? Shirou enjoyed life. The holy grail war was almost a distant fairy tail... but being the type of guy he was it still excited him. He wiped his head with a cloth. He smiled.

It was done. It was done! Vimana was fixed!

This was also perfect timing. He had called in the King of Heroes into the room just moments ago. A smile on his arrogant face, Gilgamesh walked and sat upon his throne, with a look of peace.

It felt good to have a treasure back. The idea that something of his was in tatters had always nagged at him in the back of his mind.

It began to float. The Gate of Babylon emerged and fired a swarm of projectiles at the closest wall.

Which then... understandably crumbled into dust. The machine flew out with the King upon it.

Shirou watched his project finally bear fruit... then the King returned.

"It doesn't move as fast as it used to! What are you doing!" The anger in his voice was high and Shirou almost cringed. It was a slight blow to his ego, he had spent most of his childhood fixing it.

"But" The King of Heroes began. "It is fixed. You've done well for a mongrel anyway. I expect you to restore it to it's former glory soon. Nothing less."

Shirou felt pride. Different from the pride of a king. The pride of a child being praised by a parent, something Shirou had not fully felt until now. Shirou bowed and began to continue his work with the King still on the machine, who took a moment to close his eyes.

This reminded him of long ago... the child hadn't done a horrible job.

"Thank you Fa-" Shirou quickly cupped his hands around his mouth hoping the King would not hear it. Last time, he ended up with broken arms. If he got caught again well... Shirou didn't like the possible consequences revolving in his mind.

The King of Heroes rarely had even remotely began to praise Shirou throughout his life.

He wasn't too spectacular as a warrior or a magus.

All he really was... was a faker. A faker of the treasures owned by the King. A faker of the King.

But... he was the King's servant, this adoration to be just like him...

Shirou was at the very least, his faker... and while not completely fine with that... no it infuriated him beyond belief that sometimes he wasn't sure why he hadn't killed the child before; but it would do for now.

X

Shirou took deep breaths as he traced Durendal again, memorising the hero who held it.

Golden armour, shiny brown hair, resolute green eyes. Shirou didn't like him too much.

He respected the warrior for his skill and determination though as well as the wish to remain loyal yet advance on the ladder of life.

The man's name was Roland, he almost always with eleven or twelve others who rivalled him in strength, defining himself as the leader and the best but below his King, the Charlemagne.

He was the type of man who would try to do everything himself... sometimes for selfish reasons and sometimes for "noble" ones.

The Twelve Paladins, peers, took care of each other, fought together and lived together.

Shirou saw a memory of Roland rushing to save a princess by himself, telling his friend Oliver and his army to stay outside so he can claim the credit. Later Oliver and his army would dress up as Saracens to scare Roland... and when he found out they all just laughed.

The man's final battle was one of ferocious proportions, Roland could have called the Charlemagne for aid using the Oliphant, but chose not to, wishing to win by himself. To prove himself.

When he finally realise he had lost he tried to break Durendal so no one would ever use it against the armies of France.

Instead the blade exerted a great force, smashing a giant crack and embedding itself in a nearby wall … which was good enough he supposed... he then blew the horn and called forth the armies that could have saved him, breathing his laugh breath with content.

Shirou didn't like the man too much, but he did like him. They weren't exactly the same.

Shirou had an urge... an ambition to rule, even if he didn't think about the problems the idea would have with his Father or the rest of the world.

Shirou then projected a marvellous and flawless katana, a blue rope pattern with the hilt and blade shining like pure silver, reflecting light in a way one would be sure they were in the middle of a water fall on a night of a full moon.

Shirou swung the katana over his own arm. No wound appeared.

Perfect. These two blades were his favourites and the best so far. Not for history or ideals... but the way they flowed and worked, the craftsmanship.

X

Shirou was fairly damn whimsical. He had been watching the news, hearing about some legendary blade uncovered and being displayed that had belonged to a powerful person. He had skipped the details and quickly noted the location and got maps of the place online.

Shirou needed a catalyst to summon a servant in the Holy Grail War. He didn't want to ask for his Father's help... so he asked for the aid of the person just below him.

"Kotomine... urgh. Gr..." Shirou grated his teeth, was there a way to ask for help without making it sound like help? Was they a way that Kotomine won't make fun of him for it?

"Good puppy." ...Shirou's face contorted to one of explosive rage.

"Your coming with me whether you like it or not!" The way he spoke would probably get anyone to side with him, the force in his voice commanded complete obedience.

"Hoh? I see, you require my help in fields that you are not particularly skilled in? Your inadequacies shall be covered by me, son." Obviously such a charismatic and imperative voice wouldn't work on a man such as Kotomine Kirei, Shirou just screamed in frustration.

"Fuck you Kirei. Really. Just shut up and follow me!"

"Very well my child, my duty as your guardian should be to _protect _you.

Shirou really _really _disliked Kotomine Kirei.

X

Step one, wait till night time, just a while before the changing of the staff, then break in.

Well that was done. Kotomine had waited outside, holding a phone. Once Shirou called he would do his part of the deal.

Shirou hid behind a rather large Greek statue of a hulking huge irregularly sized man armed with a bow and jagged blade. It was easy to hide behind this due to the sheer size, however it was likely he wouldn't get as much of a chance later, since most of the halls were wide and large.

Shirou regulated his breathing, bringing it to regular levels as he was taught.

He had decided to dress in his Chinese clothing, dark blue worked well with not getting noticed in the dark of night, normally you would expect black, but that wasn't actually the case, the sky is always, no matter what, blue.

How Kotomine did it... well Shirou actually had no clue.

After seeing the light of the guard go into the room to his right Shirou sighed and moved with quick, silent short bursts of speed, travelling near the depths of the darkest shadows, keeping away from particularly colourful paintings that may give away his location.

He had successfully moved to the next gallery, this was full of English works, seeing a few paintings and tapestries, a few rusty swords and coins.

Shirou located the easiest path to take, he kept close to the large painting of a knight looking into the distance of a moonlit lake, he made sure to avoid the large painting of two knights battling, one pierced to death by a lance as the other's body had leapt forward for a final attack.

"_Tch." _Shirou realised the guard of this area was just about to enter from the entrance of the next one... he would be spotted in but a brief moment. So Shirou did what he could.

Reinforcing his legs he sprinted forth at the best speed he could and smacked the guard's flash-light from his hand. The man made the obvious reaction of being startled, and in that moment Shirou buried his fingertips in a dagger like motion into his neck.

He fell to the ground without as much as a squeak. Not dead, but a little further and Shirou would have done some serious damage to the man's neck.

Then a light flashed upon him. His efforts were in vain, another person was just around the corner at that moment. "Urgh." Shirou whipped out a simple black phone.

"S-stop s-stop right there!" The man was trembling, what he had just seen was inhuman, but he found the energy to ring the nearby alarm.

"Yo. Fake Priest. Need your help. I'll be busting straight through now. So just take care of the little details..." Shirou made a mix of a sigh and groan as well as a breath of relief... he wasn't suited to stealth anyway. He closed his eyes and projected the silver katana.

Shirou swung it once with little aim behind his swing other the the general direction of the man.

The guard fell to his knees and keeled over. Shirou had been specific not to cut him, but beat him with it. This sword was indeed useful.

Shirou just began laughing heartily as he sprinted at top speeds down the hallways, sword in hand, smashing any person in his way before they could even yell. The ringing from the alarms was annoying though. A metal wall began to descend as Shirou got closer to the main exhibit.

Shirou grinned, a good time to test out a new blade... Shirou chucked his sword into the air and projected a new one, it's blade was straight and the hilt oriental and adorned in rusty like gold.

Continuing his relentless charge he gripped his the blade with both hands, focused, taking breathing back to normal conditions...

"Qing Jian!" Shirou widened his eyes and slashed forth, the metal of the door and the sword n his hand seemed to shift and turn like the tides of the seas, the gate that blocked his way seemed to melt and drip to the floor as a puddle of scrap and shards.

Shirou moved the Qing Jian to his left hand, and raised his right, catching the katana he discarded moments ago.

Shirou jumped over the jagged shards of metal and landed on shining marble floor, the room was draped in many colourful decorations of silk and cloth, shining gold, pieces of wonderful art, weapons, armour and shields.

Shirou memorised them in his mind and stepped forward, and with a single slash from his right split a large glass box. T

he glass fell apart with the cut, and the contents weren't harmed in anyway.

What was left was rusty yet simply beautiful blade.

Shirou carefully wrapped the dagger in the silk like material it was being displayed on and tucked it into a pocket. Second step, get the artefact, complete.

Step three, erase the security footage... easy. Shirou bent down and grabbed the keys from a knocked out guard and proceeded to the location, whistling as he went, Kotomine would erase the memories of every person nearby and in the museum.

So there really was nothing to worry about other then the escape, while the alarm had indeed gone off, this had happened so quickly Shirou doubted anyone had the time to relay his appearance of the details here, the alteration of memories by Kotomine would mean that no one would have any evidence of what had happened.

X

"Rejoice, Kotomine Shirou. Berserker has been summoned. The Holy Grail War shall soon begin!"

Shirou gave Kotomine a sharp glare, then made a smile. What he had been training for all his life had finally begun... a war if heroes and a chance to prove himself.

To be worthy of the King of Heroes. To be known as the best.

Shirou looked at the dagger which he knew barely anything about.

This would work for a good catalyst... it was something Shirou obtained himself.

He hadn't bothered checking the "memories" of the item, he wanted his summoning to be a surprise.

Summoning the King of Knights would have been ideal, but Shirou wanted to fight this war with only the help of his own hands and his efforts. He imagined every blade he had ever seen in his life.

Their image leading him to eternal glory and victory.

X

The little girl was truly confused. She felt warm and secure for some reason.

And thoughts of _that _man had began to drift back into her mind... or rather the scars opened deeper then ever before. She had recently come to Japan, in preparation for the Holy Grail War.

The servant she summoned was Berserker, a fairly obedient... provided you had the skill, servant that had enormous power that was robbed of reason.

And while that was to degrees the case... he could speak... think and idealise fine.

He followed his ideas to the death and also in this new life.

The hulking muscular figure had long tied dark blonde hair, chains and braces covered almost his entire body except his limbs. In his right hand a fairly large metallic blade that shone with a brilliant shade of grey and blue that reflected the piercing clear hazel eyes that showed no true emotion.

Ilya had been taught that her father, Emiya Kiritsugu betrayed her family and destroyed the grail.

She rejected it at first but gradually she forced herself to accept it... but the way it was told to her... she couldn't be sure if he really did. What if he died trying to win and they got it wrong? Or what if it was just a misunderstanding?

She slowly played with her clear snowy white hair and her shining scarlet eyes looked at the hero before her, as if asking for answers. She found none... but rather a solution to try to fin the truth.

Berserker fought to free those who are oppressed and the joys of battle, he rarely talked about anything else... but he had helped her.

She had escaped her maids for the day and looked at the night life of the city.

She should find her own answers. Not to just simply believe in what she was told.

Ilya for the first time... had truly began to loosen the chains she never knew she had.

X

_Around 6 Months Later._

Rin was practically screaming at her soul. _"How could this happen! Gone! Gone! It's gone!"_

She shuffled across the drawers and desks, opening and closing them. She bended over and looked under her bed, scuttling across the floor like some sort of tiny mouse let loose from it's cage.

She got back up and screamed almost wanting to pull her hair out in frustration.

The pendant left behind by her Father, that had roughly ten years worth of her magical power in it, a n ace in the hole for when things went wrong!

And she had lost it, probably misplaced it somewhere in her sleepy dazed morning state.

First she woke up an hour early, forgetting to set her clocks back, since she had traditional clocks and wasn't particularly great with technology. This day was getting worse and worse.

She sighed and threw herself backwards unto her bed... and she felt a small painful sensation.

She had forgotten that while searching she had thrown her gems unto her bed.

Today was not Tohsaka Rin's day.


	4. A Hero Is

King of Fakers: Chapter 3 Like the New Moon.

Tohsaka Rin was in the basement of her home.

It was nearly 1AM in the the dead of the ever still night, the place was dark and cluttered with books in a fairly untidy matter. _"It's my first and last chance. I can't afford any mistake. There's only two servants left, Saber and Caster. I'll summon Saber by force!...If I get Caster... no! I'll summon Saber! I can do this..."_ And she began.

"Withdrawal within elimination, engrave four areas and surround with the summoning circle... right." Tohsaka Rin slowly engraved the summoning circle onto the floor.

A bloody red pentagram with a circle on the tip borders, several symbols within and out of the circle and a circle like combination closing off the rest.

"Bare and silver and iron. Stone for foundation and the Great Duke of contracts. My great master Shveinorg for the ancestor. A wall for the descending winds. The four gates shall close and come out of the crown. Let the three forked road to the kingdom cycle."

Her words are elegant and beautiful, calm and composed with the ritualistic rehearsed words she had once repeated in her mind many times. She controlled her breath as she continued, her voice being the only thing that could be heard in the emptiness.

The circle was being constructed by a vast quantity of melted jewels,

"Enclose. Enclose. Enclose. Enclose. Enclose. Fives times for each repetition. Just destroy the enclosed time."

"Anfang." Her body began to change, transmitting mana as if she was a machine. Her body began to burn, a melting mixing sensation began to fill her, the sense of the body were being drifted away destroying herself and filling her with something else, death was rebirth.

She was becoming a circuit, the very thing magi are, connecting everything in this world together, that which creates wonderous mysteries and fantastic fabrications.

She made a wince of pain and slight shock, holding it back, her body felt as if her very blood was fire itself and that it was being warped into some unnatural monstrous shape, but she ignored it.

Her body began to sweat, the sensation of metal ripping into her bones and forcing itself into her body resonated throughout her being...

Time ticked, the movements of a clock were now like footsteps in a large spacious hall or the echoes of the tiniest drops of water in the deep of the night.

A harsh ripping sensation drove throughout, like fangs and thorns delving deeper and deeper into Tohsaka Rin, changing her into a whole other thing entirely...

"I announce." Rin began to release the mana she had built up, the fuel for the fire, the summoning of a hero. "I announce. Thy body shall be under my command, my fate shall be determined by thy sword. Follow the call of the Holy Grail. If thou would obey this mind and this reason, then answer my call." She closed her eyes and her vision faded, leaving blackness to protect her from the unknown and the unforeseeable... "Make and oath here. I am the one who shall lay out all the virtue of the afterworld. I am the one who shall lay out all evil of the afterworld. Thou art Seven Heavens clad in the Three Great Words. Emerge from the ring of control, guardian of balance!"

Elation filled her very core, she began to smile in joy, power was racing through her heart and soul, she was sure she had summoned Saber! "...Perfect...! I've drawn the strongest card for sure!

Her vision returns and still sees naught, no change nor disturbance. No hero nor villain.

Only empty cold brick walls and dusty forgotten books. Then an explosion from above, the sound of metal bending and striking, wood being snapped into mere splinters, a vast amount of running water... and the sound of a kettle boiling.

"Why!" Rin ran as fast as she could, up the old basement stairs and to the entrance of the living room, the door was crooked and slightly damaged, pushing and pulling yielding nothing.

Rin kicked forward and smashed the door to the ground and set foot into the living room.

Parts of the ceiling feel off with a notable thud as her eyes adjusted to the scene she saw.

The state of the Tohsaka mansion was probably never this bad; before broken plaster and bricks were scattered in the refuse, snapped upsode down chairs and tables , glass shattered in tiny little diamond like pieces,cabinets thrown around like rag dolls.

But the couch and a single large table was intact, and upon the couch was a woman sitting politely, pointing her fingers at the chair by the table and the two steaming cups of nice fragrant Chinese tea... Rin's favourite and the most expensive of what she owned.

Then Rin looked at the clicking wall clock, sighed, placed her right hand over her face and murmured "I did it again..." realising that it was in fact 1AM not 2AM which would be the time where her mana would be at it's peak. "Well what's done is done. I should reflect on my actions."

Rin looks at the woman sitting at the couch. Her hair was long mostly straight and black, elegant and ladylike, it could only be described as a shining darkness, her eyes seemed empty and dark, yet very focused and strong, as if looking into the far far future. She wore a mostly black dress that covered her body, at her chest it connected to a large adornment of feathers that circled around her neck, Rin noticed her pale like skin and her charming face. For a moment her heart beat faster, but she composed herself, Rin could at least say that this woman was definitely very attractive.

"So, what are you?"

The woman made what looked like a very subtle frown and pout, she then sighs.

"I see... it seems I have obtained a most interesting, Master." Her voice was as sweet as strawberries and cream, piercing into the hearts of whoever heard it, yet it wasn't one that was sly and seductive but rather a voice that somehow unknowingly teasing, ladylike and yet proper all at the same time, Tohsaka Rin, for the briefest moment felt the melting sensation again. Her voice, while not the same, had a very similar effect to Shiro's , it naturally carried a wish for respect and care that would never fail, not forcing feelings upon the recipient, but rather the listener would devour the words and beg for more of their very own will.

Rin paused for a moment, she didn't know Servant had the appearance of humans, since it was often referred to like a familiar, but she could tell this woman was overflowing with raw power, it's appearance... the womanly charms, her alluring empty yet resolute eyes, the beautiful seductive but proper body; posture and her shining perfect face. These were her strengths and not even the best of them...this woman without a doubt, was indeed a Servant, a hero of long ago born again into this world to fight for their wishes, ideals and dreams to the very end, their souls destined to clash with others, giving their all for their desires and ambitions, to reach a goal.

The swords of their masters that cut the way to the future, burning the darkness of the world and filling it with glorious peaceful light.

"...Just to check, but you are my Servant, right?"

The woman on the couch brought the teacup to her lips, inhaled the scent of the tea, made a very pleased face; took a small polite sip from the rim of the cup and slowly placed it back on the table with skill and poise. "Hm~ I wonder about that young lady... a cute little girl like yourself would make for a very entertaining Master... however my summoning was... rather dreadful."

Her voice was actually rather dull this time, as if she had crafted a beautiful sentence to say but got bored halfway through saying it and killed the emotion in her voice.

"You haven't answered the question. Are you my Servant?"

"Well... for formalities sake, I believe so." She took a sip of tea again, repeating her almost perfectly rehearsed motion. "Yet, I haven't seen ... much worth from you yet. Well summoning me was a sign of your good taste. The flow of mana between you and I was in effect. So for the purposes of this war I shall cooperate with you, if I like you, then maybe I'll stick around after we win."

Her voice was quiet but now had some light playfulness to it. Rin couldn't exactly tell what type of person she was, was she kind, playful and child like, emotionless and cold?

Maybe the woman herself didn't know, she sure seemed like it... but that in itself could be an act, on purpose, completely natural or maybe even accidental... Rin couldn't know.

"Well... you'll follow my orders for now right? Could you clean this room? It's a mess and your fault anyway." The woman's face lost any signs of joy like before.

"...Excuse me? Master, I believe this was, rather your fault, no? Your failed summoning was... shoddy at best. Please do realise, that using a servant, and me of all people to do such a menial task was unbecoming of heroes and heroines. In the future, please refrain from such misjudgements. While cleaning the room was certainly within my abilities and could be done with ease..."

Rin interrupted at this point. "You just said it'll be simple, right? Good luck." Rin headed to bed.

She opened the room door and flung her body onto her bed. Then she made a minor yelp like scream that bounced off the walls of the entire mansion and resounded back to her.

"Why are you here!" Rin saw the Servant she had summoned before her.

"...Master has not thought rationally. You have not asked for my identity or class yet."

Rin calmed down, she realises she should have probably asked earlier, a moment ago back at the living room. "Sorry, so... what was your name?"

"I am the Goddess Ishtar, my master... with me at your side this entire world will be ours!"

The woman called "Ishtar" smiled like a little child, what she just said seemed totally out of character. Rin had a very stunned look on her face for but a second then one of great contorted frustration. "Don't joke around. The Grail only summons Human Heroes... sure demigods and the like can qualify but a full on deity isn't allowed."

The woman made her minor frown and pout combination again.

"Sigh, I had wanted you to play along if you knew that. I've always wanted to try saying such an outlandish thing like my spouses or children did, alas, you don't have a sense of humour, Master."

Rin was pretty sure that was an insult of some sort, shape or form.

She got up on her knees and ducked and dived looking around the woman's waist.

Rin then made a very disappointed and far more tired face.

"You're not Saber are you?" The woman Rin stared at made a harsh face.

"I am Queen Semiramis of Assyria! One of the greatest monarchs to ever live and an exceptional assassin and user of magic!" She sighed,"You young girl's and your lust for sharp pointy objects..."

It was a small outburst, but after a inhale of breath the woman was ladylike and composed again, and courtesied. "I have been summoned as Caster in this war Master, may I be graced with your name since I have given mine? It is the only proper and a noble response, no? ...Rest, you probably won't be able to move too well after summoning me."

"...I'm Tohsaka Rin. So your my Servant?" Semiramis rolled her eyes and nodded in response "Good... I'll be going to sleep now."

* * *

><p>Rin opened her eyes.<p>

"Mm... morning already?" She groggily rubbed her eyes and looked at the light pouring through the window, illuminating the room as if it was a dream. Her eyes turned to the nearby clock.

Nine, meaning she would skip school today. She slowly lifted her aching body.

Maintaining a Servant made her body feel heavy and tight, as if half of her body was filled with some sort of machinery. Tohsaka Rin was not a morning person, this along with the weight of the contract it sent tides of fatigue and dissatisfaction throughout her.

"I summoned Caster not Saber..." Rin recounted what happened the last day. She sighed.

Caster was often considered one of the weakest classes of the Servants, Heroes given form to fight, Saber was the strongest, having great skill and magical resistance and had always reached the final fight in all the previous wars. Rin check and repositioned her hair with the aid of the mirror on her desk, she lifted her blankets and placed them straight on the bed.

She pondered for a second. _"My servant is Caster, Semiramis of Assyria... hm, I... probably should be careful around her. She may have killed her husband and usurped the throne... but she's strong, I think, she's odd but she doesn't seem too bad. They're could have been worse people I could have __summoned I guess, and she must be a bit similar to me if I summoned her..."_

Rin headed down to the living room.

Semiramis was lying sideways on the main room's couch, sipping the same tea as yesterday, a cup was set aside for Rin too, she sat there nibbling on biscuits. "Good morning, my master." The room was spotless, it was almost... no it practically was exactly as it was before the summoning, maybe even better! "Whoa... you did a good job." Semiramis frowned. "If you think this was impressive, I seriously am reconsidering my thoughts about you. This was simple and took near no effort to do. Servants... Heroic Spirits are not the average servants that serve people for money or out of obligation." Rin sat down and looked at the tea before her and closed her eyes, she sniffed it... lifted the cup and brought it to her lips, stopping before drinking, opening one eye.

"It's not poisoned, Master." Rin looked doubtful... but then drank it, the red rosy liquid quickly disappeared and warmed her. "Your not a bad person, Caster." A tiny small smile appeared on Semiramis's face.

"So, Rin what are we doing today? I can sense some Servants general directions, I'm Caster so it should be easy to find all the others if you want." Rin made a surprised smile.

She had forgotten that advantage, for finding enemies or launching sneak attacks it would be helpful to get the initiative in the fights... "We'll go out to scout the city today. That way you can point out the areas where our enemies are and you can use the layout to your advantage."

Semiramis nodded. "It'll also be entertaining to see this modern world, but first, you need to rest for at least another day before fighting since your probably at around half your mana today."

Rin headed for the door, but stopped and turned.

"If were going out shouldn't you change?" Semiramis made a tiny look of confusion.

"I mean, if you went out like that... some people may think your weird or other Servants could identify you easily... at the very least we'll get a lot of attention..." The Queen's mouth opened for a moment in mediocre surprise.

"My, I didn't think my Master was so careless to forget that Servant's are spirits. We can take spirit form and not be seen by anyone but our Master's and a few special people. While the thought of moving around in physical form in the city is entertaining it is not wise."

Rin made a look of frustration, she didn't like being thought of as incompetent.

"Alright Then let's go!"

* * *

><p>Rin walked through Miyami-cho, a part of the city that was split into two distinct sections, one side for foreigners with more western styled houses. The other side had eastern styled homes and in the far backdrop was a mountain, both had a very suburban setting to them. The area was generally quite peaceful and was interesting for newcomers to look at, considering the unique layout.<p>

Semiramis stopped at the intersecting hill and looked far into the distance, at the area of the mountain, which had a temple on top.

"Rin, that temple in the distance. What is it?" Semiramis's voice whispered into the girls ear.

"Ah, that's the Ryuudou temple, there's a few monks there and it has some legend about martial artists and a dragon living there, though I can't see to much special with it, but it links to a lot of leylines and is a good magical location... is a servant there?"

Caster looked a little longer. "...I don't think so, I can't tell for sure, some servants may be able to obscure my abilities or hide themselves. Actually I possess that ability myself, so you don't have to worry about sudden attacks too much, Rin. However, like you said it seems to be a good base. It would be a good idea to stay weary of it for now, just in case." With that the pair approached a large red bridge, one that connected Miyami-cho with the other section Shinto and they crossed.

The town of Shinto looked like an entirely different city, the buildings were large and modern, stretching up to the skies and never seeming to end. Quite a few workers were around, as if the city was always being improved, evolving; building up higher and higher every single second and step of the day. Rin approached the dead centre of the city. An empty desolate land, with dead trees and whitish grass, a few benches scattered here and there, but next to no people were around, a deep feeling of a frightening silence, a hidden feeling, like something was slowly hardening a grip on your heart.

"Rin. Move away from this location..." Caster's voice carried the faintest hint of fear and threat.

The girl in red stopped in her tracks and took a few steps back.

"A Servant?" Rin brought her back against a nearby wall and looked around, expanding her senses to sense the area. "...Again, I can't be too sure with this one, but this place was like that temple before, but far, far worse. I again advise we avoid this location for the time being."

Rin made a small sign of anger. "You can't be sure about a lot of things, can you Caster?"

"...Let's move, Rin."

They moved a fair bit back, heading to another location. "That places holds a lot of grudges Rin. As if the place was some sort of miniature world. Servants are spirits and can feel these sort of things.

They are four locations that are particularly prominent, but that was indeed... the worst."

Rin took a few deep breaths, trying to distance herself from the park they just left.

"That's where the last war ended, Caster. I'm not too surprised. The place was eerie, it feels like death just being near it." They then walked in silence, heading to see all of the town.

Some time later, after eating and looking around, they headed to the top of the tallest building in Shinto, the night life was blazing with lights, shining together, stretching, illuminating and melting the shadows with the creations of man.

"So do you like the view Caster?" Rin stood and looked below, people looked like tiny multicoloured ants, moving as if they themselves were the tides of the seven seas or like the swarms of insects, moving to complete an objective, all heading to different places, yet the destination always being the same. "It's a very nice view, Rin. Today has been minimally useful. I could tell the basic layouts of the city easily, but this helps me make things more specific. It was a good idea."

Semiramis enjoyed the view very much. It reminded her of the huge walls of Uruk and the ones she constructed in her own kingdom long ago. Designs and immortal efforts heading for the future.

She searched the depths of her mind, remembering seeing huge castle walls as a young girl, while she slept by the cold riverside, playing with doves and little animals, the chirping of birds and rushing rivers settled in her mind.

* * *

><p>Rin and Caster headed back home. They had seen enough of the city for one day, it was around 9PM anyway, so it would be good for Rin to rest up soon. They began to walk up the hill that lead to the western section of Miyami-cho and then spotted three individuals.<p>

One girl with long purple hair and eyes, with a plain ghostly look on her face wearing a school uniform, a tall man with spiky blonde hair, wearing white clothing and golden earrings.

The last person was a light red haired teen wearing a green survival jacket, under that a white shirt with blue sleeves and had similar green pants that looked fairly mobile, he however looked somewhat out of place as a set of dog tags lay around his neck.

Rin knew them as Sakura, Shirou and Shirou's "father".

She began to turn to hide behind a wall but she had been noticed.

"Yo, Rin? Why are you hiding like a little mouse?...Oh right you weren't at school today. Why?"

Shirou's voice was casual, yet patronising and cruel in this instance.

Rin noticed such actions were more dominant when he was closer to his father, and when near the fake priest they had more mutual hatred for Kotomine.

Rin walked out and greeted the three of them. The King of Heroes stared at Rin.

The air became silent... and deadly.

"_W-what!" _Rin's body began to tremble, the man's gaze was fixated on Rin, no actually it was fixated on... something near her. _"I-it can't be! He can't... be seeing Caster!... Wait if he's friends with the Kirei, then!" _Why didn't she think of it before, she was running madly in her mind.

It was highly possible that he was a magus and a strong one at that!...In fact he barely seemed to age over the years unlike Kotomine. Fear gripped Tohsaka Rin.

The King of Heroes face, posture and aura, emanated hostility... like a wounded, insulted, enraged beast, howling and roaring, ready to fight to the death, and kill anything without regret or hesitation, fuelled by rage!

Rin's right arm began to shake... the command seal was reacting! _"N-no... that means that at least one of these three must be a master!" _Rin was almost frozen to the spot, as if the world was crumbling upon her. She never realised that her enemies in the war could have been the very people she grew up with and knew. Semiramis was tense. Her body was preparing for an attack, in case, just holding it back, like a finger on a trigger that pressed it halfway, a step further and the gun would fire it's deadly shot. What confounded her though was the man's presence.

He didn't seem to be a Servant or a Master, as far as she could tell... yet she could tell by his piercing gaze and snarling, monstrous bestial face... animosity from the man to her could definitely be felt, as if a deep dark and ancient grudge had been forged between them.

A winter breeze surged throughout the pathway.

Gilgamesh began to walk away, with a sour and angered look upon his face, going down the path Rin and Semiramis had just went up, the hostility could still be felt even as it moved and ebbed away... "Boy, follow me." Shirou made a quick nod at Rin and walked off to follow his father.

"Tohsaka-Sempai..." The purple haired girl in a meek voice addressed Rin.

"...Hi Sakura... what did Shirou and his dad ask you about?"

"...Their father and son? ...Well they asked for directions to get to some new restaurant."

Rin couldn't but feel that it was somewhat a lie at best, but she ignored it.

"Well, see you later." Rin and Caster headed home.

* * *

><p>They were back at their home now, Semiramis took a deep sigh, and took physical form, and lied down on the couch, the kettle and tea cups suddenly floated over to her and began to make the usual expensive Chinese rose coloured tea, the liquid actually flew out of the kettle, and seemed to be mixing and stirring itself at an alarming rate. The scent of the tea this time was far more sensual and attractive, as if extra effort was put into it to make the drink more relaxing and more comfortable, easing the atmosphere.<p>

The Queen took a long deep sip from the drink, and sighed, taking a very deep breath afterwards.

"I swore he could see me... I can't help but feel a little scared. That type of anger, I've rarely seen it before but when I do encounter it, its always a heart shaking moment..." Her voice now had the dull and detracted sound to it now. She was worried or at least a little stressed, Rin thought she could tell that much.

Rin stretched. The moment coming back to the house had been a near fatal one.

She wiped some sweat off her brow.

"Well I'm going to go to bed now, inform me if anything comes up okay Caster?"

She nodded and Rin went up the stairs again to her bedroom and once again threw herself onto the bed, as the fatigue of the day caught up to her like punishing weights.

"Oh, yeah I should contact Kirei before I got to bed." She stumbled and looked around, carrying her hands with her with a annoyed grimace on her face, which quickly turned to tired reluctance.

"Phone, phone..." Her hands found it and she dialled in the number the response was quite quick.

"Kirei? It's me. I formed a contract with a Servant just yesterday, so register me officially as a Master." Silence deeper then the abyss.

"...Understood. You should come and see me at least once. I have something to give you that I received from your parents. They said to give it to you only if you become a Master before you become an adult." The priests voice was as it always was.

"Oh you mean father's will? I already deciphered it and got the item, so it's fine. I'll come see you if I feel like it. Goodbye." Rin spoke slightly nervously, she had in fact lost said item.

"Wait, Rin. If you are a Master now-" Rin hung up the phone and cut him off.

She laid herself to rest, under the sheets of her bed, and took deep breaths, she began to dream dreams of her father as her mind drifted to the thoughts and facts of the war that occurred ten years ago, she carefully thought about how she was going to spend her next day.

* * *

><p>Shirou smiled. He was almost done. His body as tense and fiery, he was becoming a magical circuit for the purpose of summoning a servant. Yet he stubbornly held unto himself as a person.<p>

Only people with large egos like himself would think of such things at these types of crucial moments. The blade he had collected from the museum was the catalyst for his summoning.

He was in the unlit room he had worked on Vimana, it was large and spacious and no longer had the ancient air ship in it, the cold isolated walls ever familiar with him. In the corner was the King of Heroes, waiting with boredom upon his face, to see what the results of his project would be.

He finished the last sentence needed to summon. He kept his eyes closed for a moment, and then opened them again. A crash as smoke and debris exploded from the centre of the room, covering it in brown hazy dust...

The figure in the centre of it all... the cause of this minor destruction...

Radiant blonde hair... green sparkling playful eyes. The dust began to clear...

The King of Heroes had a vague look of surprise or even enjoyment, but this was washed away.

The figure smiled, and her figure shone through the spacious garage like room.

Then he saw what was under her face, and he couldn't help but make an annoyed yet utterly amused face... whoever this was, she was indeed a king, no doubt, but not the one he desired.

This was not the King of Knights Arturia.

Her dress was like royal flames consuming and controlling the sights of all around, large imperial shoulder pads and a dominating tiny figure.

The area seemed to have the slightest hint of the scent of roses as the petite woman made a sly grin, the lower part of her dress was... transparent. In her hands was a long oddly jagged shaped black blade with a deadly flame like crimson edge.

Her eyes preyed upon the boy before her. Shirou stood upright and looked directly at her.

Green and Red glared upon one another, with the gaze of playful beasts yet also the ferocity of warriors sizing up their foes. "I ask of you. Are you my Master?"

Shirou smirked, "Of course, but the real question here was... are you worthy enough to be my Servant? You should prove yourself to me soon, I won't accept anything less then the best."

The short blonde haired woman made a small laugh, yet she did seem slightly annoyed.

"I see, confidence is good, you and I seem to speak in a similar way. I can appreciate such a personality, it seems only natural that you would summon me then. I am the Servant Saber, the strongest class of Servant, victory was assured." Her voice was nice to the ears, sweet and light yet powerful and playful.

The King of Heroes laughed, and laughed, and laughed.

His voice echoed throughout the church grounds, the laugh arrogant and haughty.

"A Faker summons a Faker!" Gilgamesh turned and began to leave the room.

"Boy, total victory was the only result I will accept. Anything less will be met with death."

Saber glared at the man who left, and then turned to her Master.

"Well, Praetor, it would be wise for you to let me see the layout of this city, so let us go."

Shirou was annoyed that her voice seemed to command the expected answer from him, he didn't realise it but it had a very similar effect to his voice. He crouched down and scooped up the dagger like blade that was the catalyst and tucked it away into a pocket.

They left the church and were now in the middle of the eastern section of Miyami-cho.

Shirou smiled as he felt a powerful tugging feeling on his left arm. The glowing blood like command seal in it's sword like pattern was reacting. He had found an enemy already.

He stared down the path before him, at the far other side he saw a little girl, with deep innocent mischievous eyes. Her skin and hair was almost pure white, like fresh snow.

She was dressed in thick purple winter clothing that covered most of her body and a matching hat.

She smiled at Shirou as a figure moved next to her, causing the earth to tremble as he moved.

Saber, before Shirou raised her blade. The large hulking figure was clear now.

Bulging muscles restrained by metal bonds and chains. As it breathed the cold air of the city it formed into a singeing fog like breath that consumed the air, growing ever larger.

The rough blonde haired giant roared, the fog like breath grew larger, the figure smiled as it drew its blue metal sword, holding it tightly with his right hand.

The girl then spoke. "My name was Ilyasviel Von Einzbern." She bows playfully for a moment.

"Now, please. Take the first hit." Shirou didn't hesitate.

Shirou's magical circuits flared to life... if he was going to have a free hit he was going to use one of his strongest weapons. "Trace On." In a single instant a large Chinese Dao blade appeared, the blade was wider and larger then usual, as well at the hilt. He gripped it with two hands and charged.

"Yaarrrggghhh!" Shirou had moved at incredible speeds for a human, he propelled his body into the air with a single powerful leap and step. He raised the blade over his head and forced it down, the sound created rivalling the most violent of thunderstorms, crashing and rending the air between him and the giant warrior... "The Glory of Ten Powers, The Seventh Light...Gravity... Core!"

The sword enlarged and transformed, the hilt and blade was a thick metallic white, the edges pure black as the night sky!

At this moment Shirou looked down. Below was Saber, who was about to swing his own sword.

He made a smile, to him it showed she knew that she should follow his lead.

The solid embodiment of flame met along with the heavy broad blade at the flesh of the warrior.

An earth shattering crash and the blades tore and forced the body of the man a fair distance away, into a nearby wall, smashing it utterly into oblivion.

Ilya's eyes widened for a second, but then became collected again. She smiled.

"Thank you, my Berserker is ready to win now." The hulking figure's pale blue eyes roared to life, he howled like a beast, the sound of his voice ripped apart the very air, the large muscular man slowly stood again, moving it's body slightly to clear away the debris, the engine of his soul was now alight and ready to go.

Shirou's sword had returned to it's original state just after hitting Berserker.

He held it now only with his right hand, and pointed downwards. He looked at the rubble and the roaring figure, Shirou could tell... his first hit wasn't foolishness from the Master or Servant, the monster before him needed to get riled up before fighting.

"So Berserker was that type of battle lusting person. This should make for an enjoyable battle. By his appearance, he was a strong enemy. I'll defeat him perfectly, Praetor."

Berserker had a huge grin on his scarred face... and then of all things, he spoke.

"Oppression... I feel it from your voices!" Ever smiling he shrieks his battle cry, lifting his sword in an absurdly quick motion, and brought it forth, aiming directly at Saber.

The quick counter movement of the petite blonde was perfect, the blades clashed, and the winds ripped apart from mere contact of blue and red, the sound of the swords meeting at that moment was like music to a warriors ears. That one strike caused hundreds more with blinding speeds and elegant dance like movements rivalling a ferocious naturalistic one.

Sparks were flying through the dark, brining tiny flame like lights for a brief instant which then faded away into the recesses of the world. The combatants smiled, their blazing souls meeting one another on the sacred field of battle, their hearts were shining and shaking, the sensation of life rung through their fingers and then rampaged throughout their being. This was what they lived for.

Saber was winning. That was what it looked like, at least. For every powerful blow Berserker threw Saber would block and retaliate with several more quick successive strikes. Yet the minor cuts she was inflicting seemed to do little, each was more ineffective then the last, losing momentum...

No she wasn't. Berserker was getting faster, stronger and more skilled with every passing second and every wound he took. Saber realised something. The man she was fighting... was only getting started, he was fighting pretty much, half awake.

She began to lose ground, his figure was bigger then hers, and his attacks were far more powerful in pure raw strength, what damage she did too only seemed to improve the combat prowess of her enemy. At this rate... Saber jumped a distance back.

Then launched herself back into the fray, she flipped her body upwards dragging the crimson sword across the many large scars on Berserker's body, and she used her tiny legs to fuel energy for a kicking motion. She landed perfectly on her two feet a few metres away from the warrior she had just struck, if she had inflicted any real damage, no large effect could be seen, he merely seemed to make a fraction of a stumble for but the vaguest and shortest of moments before recovering and rushing forward like the mad charging warrior he was.

The fight was on. This time Saber's moves were far more defensive.

Berserker was getting closer to Shirou who only smiled and watched the fight with excitement in his boyish eyes, the battle between heroes burning deep into his mind, this would be engraved in him for all of his life. There was no way he could forget it.

"Saber, why aren't you winning? Perhaps you really aren't a worthy Servant after all?"

The words left Shirou's mouth with poise, but it was like a teasing question or command, rather then an outright insult due to the way he said it. Saber looked annoyed, but she focused on the fight.

She was being pushed to her limits in a mere straight on combat with her preferred weapon.

It was insulting to her, who wished to be perfect in everything... yet it excited her just a little bit.

She was being pushed to her physical limits in sheer force, she couldn't have asked for a better battle to applaud her onto the stage that was a whole new world... a whole other life.

She then saw an opening, and took it.

She bent down and pushed her body forth, dragging her flame upwards to her neck and then twisting and turning, the thrusting forward with all her might!

The tip of the sword accelerated at near sonic speeds for that one moment, smashing and tearing right through the left side of her rivals waist!

But this didn't end it. It wasn't even close to over! With another animal like howl he brought his blade down again! Saber moved on a powerful pure reflex, she twisted the sword and kicked off of her enemies body, dodging the full front of the attack. However...

A fairly deep cut appeared on the right side of her stomach, causing her to wince in pain.

Yet she endured. She was the best, and she was being judged, she was a hero and an Emperor.

She wouldn't die this easily! She landed using her left hand and her feet, raking them across the pavement, she regained her battle stance and composure and again she attacked, using the momentum to attempt a rigorous offensive! Her arms shook from the force accumulated between the movements and strikes of the heroes. Her heart beat faster... no matter how much damage she inflicted... he only got stronger and stronger!

"My Hero is the best don't you think? Kotomine-san? I believe that was your name? Not like it matters.

He's like the sun, shining and fighting for everyone and for himself, happy and powerful, when people are in trouble he becomes stronger to help the weak. He can save everyone in the world! My Heroic Spirit, Spartacus! Breaking oppression to free the souls of the world! A true hero!" Ilya giggled happily, she was confident in her victory.

Shirou shook his head.

"A Hero? That's what you think a hero was? No. What you described isn't the perfect hero. The perfect hero... holds the sins of all the world upon his back from the moment he was born until the end of time! They have the power and right to rule this world, carving their names into destiny and the history of this world." Shirou's eyes were intense, burning like the most passionate of fires.

He lifted his left hand and pointed his index finger to the deep empty dark skies.

"A hero... is like the new moon. Always growing and always ambitious. He gives in and moves for no one but himself. If he helps and saves the people of this world he will do so because he desires to, not out of obligation of being a hero. The price of the worlds sins give a hero the right to do away with this world and the lives in it as they please!"

This was the idealism of a hero for Shirou. The new moon was a sacred happy thing of ancient Babylon, a full moon will disappear over time, growing weaker and weaker. The new moon, can only grow, forever and ever.

**End of chapter 3**

Authors Note:

Wow 64 Favourites and 64 Alerts, as well as 5 C2s.

By the way I really want more reviews xD

Also in regards to the facts pointed out by Fallen Angel Cyril.

I really like your advice, thank you for the constructive criticism. The grammar should improve once December ends because my editors won't be tied up then.

Yes I've noticed the description problems myself and will do my best to rectify this and get progressively better. In regards to the 7/11 scene, they do indeed exist in Japan and rather frequently, they are actually kind of rampant in Korea and Japan, along with vending machines, when I visited I often couldn't go down a road without seeing at least one!

On the case of sexism... I'm not too sure about modern Japanese stance to it. I naturally assumed that it was at least of a better standard then ancient history. However, I'm pretty sure that Shirou here does see his actions themselves as under the definition of sexist.

Ancient Babylonian women had rights surprisingly so... yeah.

Also, yes that sword is pretty much what you think it is. You'll get what I'm saying when you reach it, and for a fairly valid reason.

I hope to have a better writing style as I go on and will try to take your comments into account and do some research whenever I can.


	5. Feel it

King of Fakers: Chapter 4 At Least Once.

* * *

><p>Ilya puffed up her face. Her eyes showed a clear sparkle of annoyance.<p>

What Shirou had said began to stress her mind. She had never really thought about these types of things and was just defeated with a rather powerful speech.

Saber smiled as red and blue threw themselves against one another, the sparks coming to life, igniting the air into a haze of heat. At the very least she knew her Master had the words to back himself up and perhaps the strength if, his previous attack had any indication.

Saber was by far the more agile... but any semblance of damage seemed to be like fuel to a never ending fire... for both of them. Their smiles only grew wider. Shirou couldn't help but smile too.

The battlegrounds of heroes, from all time fighting to the end, reaching for the top of the world.

A once in a life time chance, to see, to witness and partake in a splendid and beautiful ritual. Another beautiful clang of metal upon metal, chains against flesh, then the warriors backed away.

"Wonderful. I can see how you gave my ancestors a hard time, but your fate is predetermined. This is my victory and no one will take that away from me!"

Saber tensed her legs, preparing for a completely offensive and final charge!

"Saber, retreat." The words left Shirou's mouth just before she could throw her tiny body forward.

She halted and turned, frustration on her face. "Praetor. I would prefer that you do not interfere in my battles." A happy roar, she turned and braced herself. In that moment Berserker began to charge like the name of his class, a wild rampaging, powerful and unstoppable assault until all in their vision became but ash! Saber had no choice! She flipped back yet again, making a well executed dodge, while releasing a slash from the red blade; countering the mad swing of her enemy.

"Saber. So far he's only been using one arm." Shirou spoke with absolutely no tone of worry.

Saber's eyes widened for a moment, her body shook, then she regained composure, all in mere moment. This would be all the more challenging then! This time... she wouldn't stop for anything in the world! Landing like a petal of a flower, she glided to the floor and then continued her attack.

Saber's whole world seemed to slow down, the blue light of Berserker's blade was about to come crashing down like the wrath of the gods... and she met it head on, with her entire body!

Her blade moved to one side, her small body embraced the full impact of the blow!

Narrowly missing her head and heart, the damage inflicted was horrendous. Saber coughed out blood. Even then Shirou looked only slightly worried. Ilya froze in shock... she had no idea why Saber would do this. Berserker looked a bit disappointed... then he saw the gleam in her eyes.

A large crackling wind devouring sound, as if the very heavens were being torn apart!

If the blue lightning was the wrath of the gods then the eternal flames was the howl of thousands of battle lusting demons, singing in chorus with the god of war!

Berserker was shot into the air, and he smashed against the already brittle ground, laying waste to it leaving only an empty black hole and shattered stone.

The mass of muscle slowly began to stand again. Feistier then ever, wiping blood from his mouth with a cocky brush from his left hand. His wounds slowly began to heal as his eyes rested upon Saber yet again. "Praetor. Healing." Saber made a very clear cut demand of Shirou. Who then sighed.

The sigh was like death to her ears. "...I can't use healing magic. If you were going to do something as risky as that, you should have said so, little lion." Saber's blood began to boil, as well as leak from her perfect body unto her dress.

"I can't believe that I have been given a Master who can't do such a thing. The best? If you can't do that then why did you say you were the best! The best is perfect in everything! Even if they can't do it or if they dislike it."

Silence from Shirou for a moment... yet a vein had slowly appeared on his head.

"Even if I can't do it, or if I dislike it? …Don't mess around! The King can do and excel in whatever and whenever he wants! To have to prove yourself to a bunch of mongrels, aren't you simply doing the wishes of others!"

Blatant fury raged in Saber at Shirou's words. A person had rarely if ever stood against her.

The feeling was very... unknown to her, she alarmed herself to her opponent.

A gigantic left fist, dodged with a kick back... the flashing blue light, parried with a song from the red flame. Yet in that moment she had done everything wrong. A battle between Servants can change with a simple attack, movement, technique or ploy. She was open for the briefest of a margin of a second. But that was all it took for the man's grip to begin to dig itself into the right side of her waist, the large fingers like spiralling daggers!

Her body was already torn, the punishing grip would have been beyond fatal for any other living being, but Servants are the miracles of humanity. They surpassed anything "normal" a long time ago in ages were magic and battles such as these were bouts to simply live another day.

Yet in a few moments this life would be gone... if it wasn't for a red haired boy.

No one had noticed him... no he moved faster then they thought he could possibly have been capable of doing! He was but a mere few metres away from Ilya, she shot a blast of light, but he had almost effortlessly dodged it with a jolt of force to the right. The large Dao blade emerged in his hands once again, raised to strike the pale small girl down in a single deadly swoop.

Berserker had little choice, he threw Saber to the side and leapt before the blade!

Not a scratch. Yet Shirou smiled. "Second Light... Silfarion!" The Dao changed yet again, this time into a blue hilted sabre with a reversed blade pointing upwards.

Shirou's body was propelled back from where he came almost instantly... the speed granted was insane! Shirou threw the blade to his left hand and in his right a white hilted katana appeared, with a Japanese signature engraved upon the blade, which shone... yet somehow paradoxically... at the same time was as dark as any shadow. Shirou made a deadly stare as he was guarding the crimson clad woman laid on the floor, as she slowly tried to stand yet again.

"Come, hero of slaves! Like the commoner dog you are!" Berserker seemed to twitch.

A growl came from the hero. "I don't like your voice!" And he really meant it, in the simplest way he could, it was genuine annoyance, the feeling of the powers that plagued and controlled him seemed to bring themselves to life again whenever the boy moved his lips.

The giant smothered the ground before his feet into dust and brittle as he resumed his endless charge into the realms of madness and the pain of war!

Shirou's response was a well timed smile, and a gentle yet fast paced, elegant stroke with perfect mastery... yet it seemed to be abstract. It happened within an instant. The katana released three quick consecutive strikes... that soared right above Berserker's head.

"Tennen Rishin Ryu...Mumyo-ken!"

A perfect hit. Three large rips occurred on the head and shoulders of the warrior, plummeting him backwards. The technique had hit it's mark without a doubt, even if the blade didn't... no the intent from the start was never to strike with the blade.

It was to rip him to shreds with the shadows of the night. The very floor, the walls, the rubble and the heroes own shadow had turned against him in a sudden deadly movement.

"Sandanzuki!" A youthful flawless technique. Memories of a dying young man, coughing blood, left behind... not able to fight in the war to save his home.

Shirou brushed them aside. He didn't need that right now.

The giant's smile did not fade even then. Even at this moment... he was slowly getting back to his feet, but at the same time... Saber was back up on hers.

"Saber, retreat for today. We've had enough entertainment. A King can feel defeat, sorrow and fear only once. I think this is fine enough for defeat."

"Like I'll let you. Berserker, kill them, ah but make sure there's something left of Kotomine-san to play with alright?" A happy snarl as the howling beast began to rapidly obliterate anything in his ways, waving his arms like a madman, the blue lightning sinking its fangs into the floor as he charged forward. Yet Saber and Shirou had been able to leap away just in time.

"Go Saber! Keep up with me! Second Light Silfarion!" Abandoning the katana Shirou evoked the powers of the sabre in his hand once more, the boost of speed was enormous, one second he was almost at the mercy of Spartacus's wrath... and now he was a safe distance away... and still moving.

"See you later! Creepy little flat doll!" Shirou yelled, he was fairly certain he could escape... a Master can see the stats of another Servant. Spartacus was now as fast as Saber and with Silfarion he could keep away... Ilya bit her lower lip. She could probably chase him down if she used a command seal... but she didn't want to. It would mean she had taken this fight seriously, that he was worth fighting and wasting a precious thing against.

"Berserker... stop." And she began to walk away.

* * *

><p>Shirou and Saber were in Shirou's room.<p>

A note had been left on the fridge by Gilgamesh and Kirei.

"We'll be gone for a while. Do not lose... and do not damage the house or the church."

Shirou was drinking a bottle of milk while Saber was standing... and bleeding on the floor.

"So... aren't you going to spirit away now? You know heal, rest up... whatever?"

Shirou looked dully as he laid down on his bed. Saber was silent but she stared long and hard at the boy's face. "...Praetor why..." Shirou raised his right hand cutting her off.

"Call me Shirou." Silence, frustration. "...Shirou! Why did you... let me suffer the humiliation of defeat! I was going to win and then you!"

Shirou yawned and placed the empty bottle on the floor.

"That all? Really? We retreated because I felt like it. We didn't run. So don't be worried over this. We'll just crush them next time. Your a ruler aren't you? There's no point in worrying about those lesser then you or what they think. Like I said a king is absolute. He does not do the bidding of others. He is merely selfish and selfless whenever he desires. Though there's only one absolute king, my father... but if your faking it at least play the part well."

Shirou didn't really seemed irritated or bothered. In fact... Saber could swear he was... nicer, calm and much like a normal boy.

Like a two faced coin almost, or he just switched a mask for another or this perhaps... or what she saw before was his true self?

Or he could simply be such an individual that really does act however he wants and not really care how it affects others.

Saber herself understood that. Actually most of what he said struck home. The only difference is that Shirou said that compassion or help is not required but rather something to be enjoyed no matter what the cost. She herself followed this rule when she was alive, the only difference was small... and most likely caused by how she was raised to be. Taught things and educated, treated in different ways, to become something she originally wasn't but enjoyed anyway. Shirou essentially was saying she should have skipped the first step.

Saber could only make a pout and a sigh, she looked around the room for a moment. Glancing at everything, the walls, the crude drawings as well as the decent ones. The aesthetics of the room was actually simple, a tiny bit cluttered... and straightforward. It didn't imply anyone with a haughty attitude.

The room was probably much like one of a normal teenage boy, perhaps a tad cleaner. Saber could infer little things about her Master.

The drawings were horrendously bad at the start but gradually became a little better, he wasn't the type to give up or think of things as mistakes, he kept up the bad ones as well as the good ones on the wall, a sign of progress.

The calender had no real markings on it other then to do things such as purchase food or "meet with" a person. Everything else was blank.

So to her Shirou was a person who did things as they came, not particularly a planner just someone who lived life.

She noticed Shirou staring at her, her wounds had began to heal and the bleeding had stopped. She was standing tall... well as tall as she could with her height, her sword was no longer around her, when her eyes darted across the room they locked onto things with precision and analysed them carefully, like fine pieces of art.

The analysis was different from Shirou's who analysed them for their practicality and what constructed the object. She looked at them differently, seeking a different sort of use or meaning to them.

It marvelled him and annoyed him at the same time... it was unusual for him to feel like he was being read like a book, it was strange certainly, at the very least. Yet he couldn't help but notice she was rather cute, focused and they were at least similar in some respects, they angered each other but they didn't seem like they would get into any large arguments, well as far as arguments that occur in war are concerned. They both could sense that about each other.

It was now Shirou's turn to think about her. The boy stared at the woman with some wonder, the battle just a while ago was still fresh in his mind, Saber had used her agility to it's finest, to try to gain the upper hand and suppress Berserker. When it wasn't working she tried to sacrifice defensive or more passive measures for an all out attack to demolish her enemy. Had it not been for the dire situation, Shirou playing the fight in his head again could almost see it as if a cat was playing with their prey... at least until Berserker had struck that rather fatal blow with his fingers.

Even then, she hadn't gave up, when he went back to defend her he already saw signs of her standing again, which was why she was able to recover to her feet quickly. The moment where she left herself wide open however...

Didn't seem to fit with her fighting style or behaviour. She seemed rather frustrated at the moment she had taken the hit while simultaneously smiling reluctantly, as if she felt she was going to win... _"With her speed, she shouldn't have been open to that hit, so she shouldn't have risked that situation... wait there's no reason why she should have let herself be hit."_ Shirou began to muse in his head any logical reason for the risk she took. It was unnatural in every aspect... he should ask her.

"Saber, why did you let yourself be hit back there?" The small woman in red's attention was brought up, she had been in a trance like state for the last few minutes while surveying the room.

"Oh...? Ah. The moment where I took his attack head on? I have a skill called Imperial Privilege. It let's me copy the skills of other servants at times making me becoming equally good at... no far better at their own expertise or field. It allows me to be perfect, I can't do worse then my opponents in what little they excel at. In this case Spartacus's skill is to get stronger when he takes damage, like a cornered animal surrounded by predators, naturally fighting for it's life with the touch of death on their shoulders... it's a sickly skill so I didn't like copying it, but I guess it has it's values."

Shirou thought about this for a moment. Then made a small laugh. "So you copy the opponents skills and I copy their weapons and techniques? Father is right... maybe I'm only good at being a "faker"! Haha... but I don't mind that. Actually I like it. Being a faker is what I am, to deny that is to betray myself."

Shirou nodded a few times to himself in a jovial manner, he took pride in the fact that, Shirou was Shirou and will always be Shirou.

If there was anything the King of Heroes had taught him it was this. Be who you are, and never bend to anyone else's will... except for his of course.

Though Shirou could swear he occasionally saw the King being rather amused by those who challenged him, if only ever for a brief moment.

"So Saber, we're done for the night. So just go to spirit form and rest, don't look so untidy to me in the morning. Or ever again. Your mine and no one else's, so I can't have you be a disgrace. Perfection is all I ask." Shirou closed his eyes to sleep. Then heard her voice.

"Shirou, can I sleep in a bed?" Shirou opened his eyes for a moment, furrowed his brows in confusion and looked at the small girl.

"...Why? Servants don't need to sleep right? If they just remain in spirit form they don't take up any mana and heal automatically right? There would be no need for you to..." But he was cut off. "Also some food and a hot steam bath would be good too." This was an order... not a request. Shirou could tell.

"...Like I said there's no reason for you to do that. You don't need to feel anything." The response by Shirou was met with a small burst of frustration.

"I don't need to feel anything! I want to because I want to. I'm not asking you. I'm telling you. Servants don't need to, but they can and they would enjoy it, because we lived and existed and we are feeling that again. Who wouldn't?" Shirou blinked a few times, unable to actually think of a good response.

On one hand the situation was actually the behaviour he had requested of her, since she was, in his world a fake ruler. Yet this would actually mean he would need to do things for her, or have to accommodate to her wants... or at the very least make some sort of fragile agreement.

So there was silence for a while. "...Alright. I can cook for you since I enjoy it anyway." Shirou reluctantly said, and in response Saber made a slow nod of acceptance.

"As for the steam bath... we don't really have that type of thing here. If we look we might find one in the city, it's not impossible for people to have built some. For a bed... I don't really... there is one but..." Shirou's thoughts wandered to something he disliked and had never really thought about until now. He had no idea where Kotomine slept. For one, the idea of anyone sleeping in the fake priests bed, was disturbing at least, almost a torture or a too cruel joke gone wrong. And secondly, well he had no idea where it was or if it even existed.

"There's no other beds other then the one I'm in right now." Saber looked at the bed now. "Give it to me."

Shirou just looked at her with a irked and very confused look on his young face. "No."

"Give it to me." The words were far harsher this time... "...Are you deaf? This is my bed." "I said. Give it to me now. Shirou."

They began to banter back and forth like little children on who got to play with a new toy first, yelling and screaming at each other. Unlike this situation there are now parents or adults to explain to them exactly why they should stop or give an alternative idea or compromise.

"Shirou! I'm the one who will be doing all the fighting! So I deserve more then you!" She pulled the sheets of the bed making Shirou stumble to the floor as a result of the meagre tantrum she was making, he groaned quickly and got up to his feet. "Are you blind now! I was fighting, pretty much five minutes ago! Against something that isn't human to protect you. Miss, Not so Perfect." Saber twitched for a bit. She couldn't deny that. At least most of it.

"That was a stupid thing to do in the first place!" Was the best retort she could make on the spot. And Shirou immediately struck at the blatant weakness of it. "That's all you can say?" A momentary silence.

"What if you give it to me for two weeks and then you can have it one day after that?" Nero smiled at herself. To her she was being generous.

"...Are you stupid? Who would agree to that sort of deal? Anyway we might have won the whole war by then and you would be gone."

Saber froze at the word gone. The idea of fading the world, because she was a replica of her true self... and a spirit that could not survive due to the rules of the world... the idea she would just fade away and forget what she was enjoying right now...

She threw it away from her mind. She didn't need to think about that now, and she couldn't let herself show weakness to anyone.

"I thought I was rather generous, Shirou. Alright I'll take it for one week and you have two days afterwards." Shirou made a crossing motion with his arms, displaying his flat out denial of the deal. "How about, I sleep in my bed. And you disappear from my sight for a bit?" Saber's eyes narrowed and so did Shirou's. Neither was going to let the other win. "...Saber you can have it. I'll go cook now."

Shirou left the room and smiled to himself. He very much enjoyed what he just did, feeling a piece of accomplishment and pride.

Not because he gave in, but believing he was the more mature, until... he stopped in his tracks... and ran back into the room.

"Trace on!" Soon an exact replica of the bed was next to the original. "...You could have done that the whole time?"

But the door had shut again before Saber could see Shirou's face. And she smiled, she had one because Shirou was an idiot!

Then she shook her head realising how silly it was to think of someone else's faults as a victory over such a trivial thing. She would never had let anyone see her or know that she did this though. She made a small sigh, the boy was interesting, yet got on her nerves. They were similar but yet so very different.

She didn't dislike him... but for her to be so furious and childish against someone else in this manner, it was just odd for her.

* * *

><p>Saber, it's done!" Called Shirou and the red clad girl's eyes flashed alight and quite subtlety licked her lips. The smell from the food had been driving her insane... Shirou was definitely a good cook. Saber took out a fork and spoon and stared down the dish placed before her.<p>

A large grilled steak was on the plate before her, the fumes were delightful, steaming a small fraction of the dishes true taste into the fangs of whoever was blessed enough to be fed. Shirou saw the look in her eyes as she began to cut and eat the well cooked piece of meat.

He had seen the look before, Rin sometimes would eat over here once in a while, and she quite enjoyed what he cooked, they occasionally challenged each other and it was helpful and delicious for both of them, despite both saying the others cooking wasn't up to scratch... and then giving a comment such as "but it is well prepared" or "well, it's okay for now."

Surprisingly after Shirou had left his thoughts he looked back and saw the meat had been wolfed down quickly and Saber was now drinking some wine.

Shirou was about to say something but stopped, if it would annoy the fake priest he wouldn't question how she got it or reprimand her.

As if the world had horrible timing the moment after she had finished the glass of wine the doorbell rang, and at the same time Shirou's hand pulsed. Saber rose to her feet and glared towards the direction of the door. "Would another Master and Servant really just walk up to someone's front door and ring the bell?" Shirou focused and project another rather large curved black Chinese sword, with several characters on it.

For some reason Saber chilled at the sight of it. Shirou smiled. He knew that the sword was working...

They walked to the front door and Shirou twisted the knob, taking a step back and raising his arm... then stopping. Speak of the Red Devil.

"Oh it's just you Rin." The dark haired girl frowned. "Just you? Shirou... you know why I'm here right?" Shirou thought for a second... and projected the calender in his room. "...I don't see anything important on here." Rin sighed and lifted her hand, showing her command seal.

His response was a dull look. "Eh? Ah your a Master too... right your a Tohsaka so the grail prefers you. Well that's okay. You won't hurt me... or can't hurt me anyway, Rin. I know everything you can do. So what are you here for?"

It was Saber's turn to smirk. The reaction of someone else feeling the brunt of Shirou's warped personality was rather amusing. She even liked it and was watching eagerly as Rin seemed to grow more frustrated, yet she kept her right hand on her blade. She didn't strike when the door was opened because of the looked both Rin and Shirou shared when they saw each other. There was no real intent to harm either one of them.

Though she was still a Servant and she was a Master. So she would strike the moment she felt even a small inch of true killing intent.

"...Sigh. Oh well. I've dealt with it most of my life. A little longer won't matter. Shirou, obviously an alliance is what I request."

Shirou raised his right hand to stop her. "What are you talking about? Your mine, right Rin? I would never hurt you."

The twin tailed girl's face wet a bright pinkish red as her body began to feel hot and warm... she hated when he did this.

"Idiot! You never watch what you say... do you? Wait, that's wrong. You're just this way naturally. I have to learn to deal with this... god."

She brought her right palm to her face and took a few deep breaths, regaining her senses and clearing away her embarrassment into the back of her mind.

"Well... alright, it doesn't matter the results the same, it's just what you and I call it. So... I guess she's Saber right? The strongest and the best?"

She smiled and settled her gaze on Saber, Shirou could swear that he could feel... envy from Rin. "Ah... I got paired up with Caster. She's seems to change her personality every few minutes like she can't tell which one's right or something. Aw, your so lucky to have such a cute Saber."

Saber smiled and closed her eyes for a second, she had always loved praise and she probably always would.

"Okay that's all clear then! See you later Shirou!"

X

It was another morning for Tohsaka Rin, wake up get given Chinese tea and then head to school with Caster in spirit form in tow.

Caster noticed that she walked faster near certain sections of the city... as if running from something. However today was different.

She had stopped right in front of one particular building... Caster could tell it was magically defended and looking at it, for some reason disgusted her.

Caster knew that the purple haired girl called Sakura lived there and Rin didn't like to talk to her if she could help it... they seemed kind of wary and sad at times, almost as if they wanted to forget the other existed. The reason why it was different today was because of a pulse on Rin's arm... which Caster's gaze saw almost immediately, and the cause of it all?

A tall young man had left the old manor, he had a pale complexion, had shiny black hair that stretched below his ears and almost empty yet fixated eyes.

He wore a large winter like coat of dark colours with a fur like collar that stretched upwards, shielding the sides of his face. His hands were in his coat pockets and as he left the building his eyes fell upon Rin, who instantly took a almost dramatic step back as her arm vibrated violently.

Her entire body began to shake... she tried to speak but only a small stumbling assortment of sounds came out for the first few seconds.

"C-Caster, can you sense any servants nearby?" Rin managed to muster the words. Caster shook her head.

His gaze contained a look of such loss and determination, a madness, a pure calculated blood lust emitted from his every pour, it would shake anybody's very core. The man looked away and walked on. Rin exhaled in relief.

"Right... he can't do anything to me right now in broad daylight with all these people around without getting noticed... I was lucky today, for once."

Rin tried to calm down and avoid a few glances at her that obviously were inquiring why she was acting the way she was.

"Rin, that type of person is the most foolish and at the same time one of the most deadly. Don't ever fight him head on. I know what people like him are capable of, anything in his way will end up dead." Caster had been silent until then, the time when she seriously spoke she was always straight and too the point as well as comforting. Rin was glad Caster was by her side.

"What was he doing at the Matou home? I..." Rin's thoughts muddled as she tried to make sense of why a Master would be near another potential enemy, Rin was frightened the thought of the ancient Matou Zouken aiding the dark haired man for victory in the war... the result could be disastrous, at least for her. She then began to walk slowly to school with the image of the man burnt into her mind. Who was he? Who was his servant? What was he doing there? One question would only lead to another, all with no answers.


	6. A Field of Flowers and

King of Fakers Chapter 5: A Charge of Kings.

_The rustles of the hooves of horses, charging forward... slowly turning, the sand below became even finer dust, grinding by the wheels. _

_A glorious bright scarlet and otherworldly gold wrapped into the perfect eye catching and war built chariot. _

_Upon the reigns stood a blonde haired woman with marvellous green eyes, that gave love to all those that looked upon her. _

_It was a race, a sport and a event. The charge of the chariots raged forth creating a storm one could only see in the depths of a desert. _

_Dressed in a thin veil like red the Empress greeted her adoring public and rode on to victory. _

_She could hear laughter and cheers, happiness and joy in every word spoken, in every action taken and every glance, blazing from the souls of her people. _

_She enjoyed those days very much... and in her mind, the sounds slowly changed into crackling maddening fire, screams of outrage and death. _

_Tides of people roaring for her death, chasing her from the home she loved so much and the people who were by her side disappeared without a trace. _

_Just like the ravages of time, everything would be reduced to dust, a shadow of what once was. _

_Yes she admits it. She was and is, and perhaps always would be a tyrant, but a hero never regrets. _

_A hero is a person who lived their lives the way they wished to their best, following the images in their hearts, chasing what can never be theirs. _

_Laughing, crying, fighting and living... heading down an endless path that reached nowhere and yet everywhere all at once. _

_The dark unknown abyss stretched forward, adorned in the dress of eternal tomorrows. Until there would be single answer. _

_Only those who have lived and died find it. It might not even be what they desired... but it would be something that they had known all along, somewhere in the depths of their hearts and would they regret it? No. _

_Would they do it all again? No. What was done was done, never regret a thing, or you risk betraying yourself. _

_Could they wish it was better, yes surely, but they would never do so. Or else everything that makes them them falls apart. _

_Tears welled up in the Empresses eyes, she wanted to enjoy the light of the sun just a little more... the love of others, even in only for a fleeting moment, just even... if only a minute more. She wanted to treasure everything she held close to her heart... and hold it just a little closer. _

_To be able to see this image again and again, just to remain with her even if it was a remnant of the past. It was important to her. _

_Because... at her last breath, at her last moment... surrounded by flowers and what she and countless others had spent their lives working on to reach the unattainable concept, perfection. The dagger like sword edged in close to her neck. A finely crafted golden blade and a blade that shone like the morning sun of the days a man enjoyed the most. She did not shake. Yet her heart shook. _

_All alone, with no one by her side. This would be her last moment. How she hated that this is what was burnt into her mind. _

_What a... very distasteful piece of art... but maybe she just couldn't enjoy it, but she admitted. This was part of her life... but she would never ever regret it! A tiny smile. _

_The blade came to life. _

* * *

><p>Shirou awoke with a jolt and fell out of his bed and smashed into the one next to it... as well as the person sleeping on it.<p>

A muffling barrage of annoyed sounds and groans as the beams of sunlight hit dead on onto their eyes.

It took a moment for them to stand back up and recover from the groggy state of sleep.

"What was that for? How dare you leap upon me while I was asleep... and in such a uncivilised and brutish manner!"

Shirou could only think... _"She looks pissed."_

The aura of anger however could be dissipated with a single secret word he had learnt from his daily dangerous life... the ultimate technique to stalling and changing the mood of any man, woman or child in the world... even the King of Heroes and the Fake Priest could not stand against it!

"I'm going to cook breakfast now, Saber." Shirou closed his eyes and made a huge welcoming and soothing smile, grinning like an idiot.

"What do you want?" Spoken so very sweetly. Saber blinked for a few moments... as if she just tasted something delicious.

"Oh... hm... I would like to sample the food of this country..." Her mind wandered for a second.

_"Success."_ Shirou had won, the power of hunger, the primal instinct to satiate it. It hadn't failed him once. In one way it was his greatest weapon.

He made a small tiny smile and laughed.

"Shirou! I desire to venture among the public and the amusements of this world in physical form for all to see! Take me immediately."

Saber pointed to the door, standing almost perfectly straight. Shirou remained silent for a moment, he then walked over to a table, lifted a newspaper, rolled it up and smashed it upon the little girls head. "Everyone calls me an idiot... but you, you're something else."

Even Shirou would be able to tell that a person dressed like Saber would stand out no matter what, as a Servant to others first and because of her transparent skirt he was pretty sure the police would try to arrest her for indecency.

"Not dressed in that." Saber turned with a rather ferocious glare... with what seemed to be a hint of a pout. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

Her voice rang with beautiful high tones... that ended with a deadly threatening ring to it... Shirou remembered that he should never directly comment on what a girl is wearing negatively.

Rin had taught him that the hard way. He shook his head as he dispelled the image of being repeatedly shot with minor magical strikes from his friendly neighbourhood magus.

"Think. The reactions of other people... it would be stupid for you to go out like that, remember other Masters are around too."

The glare weakened but remained true. "I don't see why you people kick up such a fuss about such things! If anything you should revel in joy for seeing my magnificent form...! But, I understand. I shall follow your customs..." her eyes drifted away for a few moments as if she was remembering something, almost hurtful by the expression in her eyes.

"Okay... I'll be back in a minute I'll search around for spare clothing around the house. Just wait a minute and don't do anything."

Shirou was back after a few minutes, he was carrying what appeared to be something similar to a habit. Saber's glare was now particularly ferocious.

"No." "What?" "No, absolutely not!" "Wait, why?" "I said no!" Shirou sighed, he would let her win for now, he was bored anyway so he didn't particularly care right now so he headed back to look for more clothing.

Shirou had returned yet again, this time he was holding a pair of black jeans and a red sweater. Saber didn't look adverse to it... she began to take her clothes off. "Wait!" He had no time to argue, fumbling he ran a small distance and covered his eyes. Despite all his teachings he was nervous about such things, but he was the type to only realise this in events like this. In other words he was dense unless it was outright stripping.

After a minute he slowly turned around. Saber seemed at least a little pleased with her garments. Shirou was not.

The shirt being red was not transparent but... since Saber wore no bra, Shirou could see the shape of her breasts easily. He fumbled and tripped.

"You can't go out like that!" Shirou looked away as he shouted. Saber now showed signs of extreme tension and annoyance.

"Why! You were the one who were graced with choosing the garments of a ruler such as I! Why do you regret your decision?"

Shirou tried to calm down. "It's obvious isn't it? Y-your chest is kinda... sorta showing from under the shirt!" Saber blinked a few times and made a small hearty laugh. "Ah, this culture is far too restrictive. Why be ashamed of the beautiful forms of the body? It is a natural unique artful wonder!"

Shirou's mind at that moment burnt out due to the image of tons of half naked people flaunting their... assets.

"Gah!... Uh... gurgh..." Saber blinked again and smiled. "Ah, to coin a modern term you people have... I believe I have broke you?"

It took a few minutes for Shirou to fully recover, he got up turned his eyes away and narrowed them for a minute then sighed.

"Fine, your dressed well enough to walk about at least, people may stare but they can't really raise a ruckus about it... I guess."

Saber made a triumphant raise of her head and a light nod. Shirou then locked his right arm around her left arm.

"...What are you doing Shirou?" The voice was slightly threatening but more confused. "Your a king right? Image is important wherever you go right?"

Saber shrugged and then they exited the home.

* * *

><p>The morning was absolutely beautiful, Saber stretched her arms and made a wide grin. She stopped in her tracks and paused for a second...<p>

"Hm, Shirou do you have any idea what the most entertaining and enjoyable thing to do in this land of yours is?"

Shirou thought for a few moments... "Well, I guess Rin is fun." Saber lifted an eyebrow slightly.

"That girl is the most exciting thing in this world to you? I see..." Shirou lopped his head to a side for a moment.

"Well many people can be boring, most just seem to always be the same. The way Rin is... it's rather unique." Shirou looked Saber in the eyes. "Thinking about it I don't know anything about you. So why don't we found out about each other then?"

Both quickly making a passive shrug began to walk down, Shirou wasn't really thinking about where he was going, while the girl in red simply followed the boy.

They ended up at the same area yesterday where they had fought Berserker. It was barred off with yellow police tape, the walls that had been pounded to near dust seemed to had been the main part being examined by the three or so officers around there.

"Well I'm glad I had the chance to fight him." Saber turned to Shirou with no sign of tension. "A man who was like a monster to the great empire of my ancestors, to fight him with my own two hands was indeed an exhilarating event!"

The nearby officers stared at Saber, Shirou pulled her back a little behind a nearby wall. "Like I said you gather a lot of attention... anyway, that means your Roman?"

Shirou had read up quite heavily on history and legends preparing for the war... also because his simple nature loved it, the tales of heroes fighting for what they desired.

"Ah, yes. I haven't given you any information that would make you guess my identity..." Saber once again drifted for a second. "Oh... I do hope Hercules is competing! He would definitely be a fearsome opponent! Oh and Meleager would be a sight to see! A shade shining in the darkness!"

Shirou was slightly taken aback at the sudden theatrical flare that burst from Saber. "Hercules... Meleager... well they would be fun to fight I guess. Oh! Mother could be a good challenge."

Saber brows furrowed and her expression seemed to freeze over in truly pure confusion. "The King of Knights... King Arthur!" Saber's face seemed to twist in a face of extreme hilarity mixed with the similar look a distraught and confused puppy has when they arrive in a new place for the first time.

"Did... you just say your mother is King Arthur?" Saber could barely speak the words as she had been completely discomforted by the information, reasonably like anyone else who would react to hearing such a thing from a red haired Japanese teenager.

"Oh... right. King Arthur is actually a woman named Arturia and she is the wife to my father King Gilgamesh of Uruk." Saber continued her face of incredible disorientation.

"...T-this is a r-rather amusing joke! Hahaha..." She looked at Shirou whose eyes were blazing with the same passion and fiery fighting spirit from the night before. "Your actually serious aren't you? Don't you think someone would notice that King Arthur was a woman?" Shirou shrugged.

"Maybe they lacked common sense?" A silence as Saber finally began to comprehend something. Her Master wasn't a normal person and that she should not even remotely treat him as such. "Oh I would also enjoy battling Uncle Enkidu, it would be nice to see him. Utnapishtim may be an interesting guy to talk too... I wouldn't mind fighting people who lived their lives to the fullest."

"People usually only live once. They should enjoy what they have and treat it the way they want. If your immortal or something that is a special thing that you yourself have, a miracle for you. And if you have such a thing treasure it. If not treasure what you have. If you want something take it."

Shirou's words came out strongly, clear cut and precise, they felt as if someone laid a firm hand playfully on your own heart. "For Greek heroes... Odysseus may be a good battle, taking the support of those who aid you and challenging what opposes you... even the Gods themselves."

Shirou's mind was in a pleasant place and his smile reflected that. "Well let's get going."

After wandering for a while they arrived at an video game arcade, to be honest it was the only thing Shirou could think of... until he remembered something. Today was a school day and the arcades forbid people his age or younger from playing unless it was far after school hours.

However before he could finish his rather small realisation Saber stole Shirou's wallet and launched herself into the place and threw a coin down a slot almost at random.

Her hands frantically moved and became incredible blurs of skin and red, the left arm twisting and turning in rapid fluid motions and the right hand slamming a combination of buttons in a carefully planned out sequence in a reckless manner.

"Continue?" Rang from the machine on the opposite side every few seconds as Shirou saw frustrated young adults try to combat the empresses divine finger tips with their silly mortal tricks.

It was futile... no matter how many yen coins were thrown into the opposite side... no matter how many attempts or new challengers... the empress remain victorious. She would not need to leave the machine until she was defeated...

Until Shirou walked over and sat on the seat and began to play, what then commenced was... actually rather stupid. It started as a incredibly fast paced game that would probably leave anyone in awe over how anything can program can move that fast.

That was precisely the problem, Shirou was now abusing his structural grasping. The machine wasn't keeping up with them. It was actually near the point of breaking. "Eat this!"

And then the machines had a minor explosion. The girl and the boy now has a small amount of dust and smoke clouding their faces, they looked at each other.

The boy and the girl then decided to do the logical thing and ran.

"Well that was entertaining..." Any sign of dirt on the empresses face were now gone. "Perhaps we should have slowed our pace. Then they may have momentarily caught us. There is no point in deviancy if there is no fear or threat of getting caught."

Shirou's lips pursed into a smile... until he realised that he probably would be banned from there for all of eternity. He was about to raise his voice in uproar but he instead just sighed. It was too early in the morning to shout.

* * *

><p><em>A young black beauty waited by a cold beach, the sky was grim yet not dark, carrying but the faintest light in it's midst. Her eyes are devoid of shadow, yet the only shine in them is the reflection of the deep blue ocean, just like the large mirror of air above her head.<em>

_She was dressed in nothing but a large coat of white feathers, covering her child like body from toe to neck. She was kneeling and just staring towards the endless dying horizon. The girl knew very little, she knew that she was born here and that the tiny white creatures feed and cloth her._

_Sometimes she would walk into the water, only to fall back at the cold touch and lacking the courage or will to continue on... but she kept her gaze going as far as she could see. There was something she wanted and the beauty knew that it lied beyond the sea!_

_Then she heard a sound. A sound she only heard when she got closer to what was always so far away. The sound of footsteps... then something beautiful which reminded her of the sound she made when red liquid dripped from her fingers or feet, from when they touched the sharp stones in the sea... for the first time she was hearing another voice._

_She wasn't alone in this world. Something else like her existed... and truthfully many did. Her black hair danced to the heavens as she turned and looked... she had never really cared for what was behind her before... and she saw that the world was far bigger then she had ever imagined._

_Something like her and not like her, something older yet surely kind as well as larger walking white creatures, the youth tilted her head and began to follow the man._

_And so she took her first step into the world she truly belonged too._

Tohsaka Rin was quite worried. For the last few days her mind has been put into shambles. Shirou's attitude... well she might have half expected it from her mind, but it was still off putting. And just remembering the deadly glares by Shirou's 'father' and the man in black made her spine feel like it was turned into ice, burnt down and then smashed into a thousand pieces.

And now on top of that these realistic dreams... Rin swore that every last detail was perfect. She rose from her bed and scanned around, she made a tiny hop off and rubbed her eyes a little... and then she saw only shadow.

"Guess who?" A small silence. "Caster... I need... wash...face first... I don't... mornings." The shadows parted into bright light. "Oh then... you need to wake up... so have this."

A huge surge of icy water practically exploded in the red girls face and drenched her body in daggers of cold, chilling and awakening every nerve she had.

"Caster!" Rin was definitely now awake... as so was her Servant. Colder then anything, warmer then anything, more darker and more evil, yet always kind and strong. Her entire body shone with the radiance of a ruler and the heart of a warrior.

"Caster...?" Semiramis stood still as her brows narrowed her lips seemed to twitch a little in the upper right. "Fight or run? Rin... choose now. If we run we probably won't ever come back to this place. Home or survival? Tohsaka Rin or the magus?"

A clear look of confusion then her body shivered. "Rin... a Servant is charging right at us in the middle of the day. He's fast and... the very mansion is beginning to feel different. You're my Master. So the final judgement is yours, if you leave we'll have to fight tooth and nail to get it back. If we fight, then many innocent people will die."

The shades of cold blue came to a shocking lightning jolt and hardened into glass like stone. "Run... but we'll come back here! I won't let someone do what they want with my home... but I can't let everyone around here to die."

Normally magi wouldn't care about minor casualties, but two reasons made this situation different. First, a great many people were active right now, many just starting their days or beginning work or school. Secondly... Tohsaka Rin wasn't an ordinary magus.

* * *

><p>His eyes surveyed the basement of the house, peering from corner to corner noting every detail. His dark figure bent down and withdrew a book from the shelf, opening it and reading carefully, his eyes squinted in a look of a old sadness with a hinge of annoyance. "So even in this time... so far in the future, such things we'll happen. Bonds can still be broken with a twist of a wrist pointing to a direction, leaving you to the wilderness that is the world."<p>

Reading at an inhuman speed he tried to focus... "It seems my ability with such things is minimal as I am. Of course I can't learn things so quickly but I can feel it... a strength I never felt before. It shouldn't take too long to read this all. Then I can fix a few things, win this war... and I guess I'll just see how things go from there." His pale like glance found a book he knew all too well.

A black book with a golden cross. "Oh how I have loved and despised you at many times. I see that even magic cannot deny you."

He picked it up and smiled a little as he read some of his most well known lines, he then placed it back upon the desk.

This time his sight glanced at a small crystal horse, his pure fingers gently moved across every ridge and incision to make the sculptures form.

"This place is very beautiful, it's warm reminds me of when I was a child... as well as the bitter cold nights. Only a few rooms in this house have been used..." His thoughts drifted away leading to a tiny sigh. "All the more reason why I shall win."

* * *

><p>Saber was now a flame like no other quite, beautiful and really really pissed off. "Shirou I'm going to knock some sense into those actors and whoever the playwright is!" That wasn't a request but a warning... a promise of violence, to Shirou this was a meagre issue. To Saber... not so much.<p>

"I don't see the problem-" He stopped mid sentence, he could feel it... _"She's serious."_ Shirou's mind racked itself for thoughts on what to do. "Look, you're my Servant right? Don't do anything stupid or I'll have to use the command seal to stop you." The last sentence was a crushing blow and a carefully concealed poison. To Saber the idea of being forced to do whatever someone else wanted without question! It was absurd and humiliating.

"Anyway, you enjoyed the show didn't you? I saw your face, yeah you got angry a few times but... you really liked the fact you were even there. We should start looking for enemy Masters and Servants now that it's dark." Saber sighed and slightly lifted her toes up to try to get to perfect eye level with Shirou.

A roar of thunder and rain separated them apart, but there was not a drop of water... "Ah it's gonna rain soon? We should get going then." The voice of a random bystander, Saber and Shirou turned to the east. A tug on their souls as they could feel something there. The sound the people had heard wasn't actually an impending storm but rather something else entirely.

They ran toward it, the sound of ferocious inhuman cries of lighting. Shirou knew what this sound was... the sound of hooves and the wheel of a chariot heading into battle.

He knew it as the march of a warrior king, the man who leads men to the glory and riches of life... as well as a pitiful end. He knew the sound now, from the dreams he had of Saber, he had no time to question it further. He just knew, two monsters laid ahead, a chariot and a warrior.

It began to come close, it's charge was about to begin. Saber threw herself a few feet ahead and kept her sword low, ready for a swift and powerful upwards swing, that was the best way to deal with a steed that bared its fangs upon you.

Shirou closed his eyes as his feet launched itself it leaps and bounds, he could hear his own heart beat madly as the feeling of battle began to race through his mind, his body, his very soul.

Then it really did begin to rain, but he didn't care about what gives life to what gives life, what he was aiming for was soon to be upon him. He wanted to win no matter what, to become that image. It floated like a haze of heat, the dreams of sand or the shadows of the mind, blurry and covered in violent light.

The image of a ruler dressed in gold, of all the people in the world to survive that living hell... he was chosen to live. He was going to enjoy every second of the life he was given. Not only for himself but for what he cared about. In Shirou's mind the very prospect of death was very far away, like a distant land he had seen once a long time ago... as if it as a whole other lifetime.

"Shirou!" The red haired youth's eyes exploded forth, passing by the tears of the sky and to what was before him. Saber had been outmanoeuvred, the speed of the shining golden chariot. Attached to it were two mist like ghostly horses their voices bended the very world around them with a thunderous storm like jolt, one black and the other grey, tears of blood flowing from their eyes.

Shirou knew already, a vague idea of what they were when he sighted the chariot. "So even the beasts style themselves as Kings!"

Shirou's mind became a pitch black for the second before impact. Then several fading burnt letters came to life in the darkness, the faded words became clearer and clearer. A black metal curved blade surrounded in a field of flowers... flowers made of blood, sweat, tears, songs and love. To Shirou this man at least acted the part of a King... he was so close yet so far.

The blade came forth from his mind and into the world anew. Saber recoiled even in the split second this was all occurring, the sword is Shirou's hand made her uneasy and... afraid.

Shirou hated and loved this sword, it was a sword made for a king to slay all the other kings of this world. To change the time and fate of the world... in other words a sword that started the emergence of dragons... the birth of heroes and men who desire to rule all the land!

A wide smile on his face as the ghost like steeds were but inches away from him, having leapt into mid-air and poised to strike! "Slash..." The horses neighed in protest and began to turn their huge bodies away... but they were to late! "The Kings... Like Logging!" A blur of black in the midst of the rain, meeting with the flesh of ethereal savage yet beautiful monsters of another land... what saved them was a lance of red.

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><p>Authors note:<p>

Yeah sorry for a short and rather crappy update... I very much appreciate all the favourites, alerts and review I have received over 100 favourites! The 100th favouriter is... vincentduvent.

Anyway, I'm sorry for giving you this weak and unedited update. I promise to be far better in the future. Also thanks to everyone who exposed problems with the story and formatting that I have overlooked. I shall fix those... probably next week after school.

I promise you I won't quit this story no matter what! So take this update as an assurance of that!


	7. What is?

King of Fakers Chapter 7: A King? A Hero?

"No doubt, you must be Rider, huh?" The man atop the chariot had sharp ruby red eyes and pointed blue hair, slightly turning to the left side of his face, that eventually tied back into a ponytail.

On his left arm was a shield, raised over his head, a thorny red lance in his right arm, poised to strike his armour was blue, a large gold and orange cloak flowing from his back.

A truly majestic warrior, he lowered his arms and grabbed the reigns, striking them, the horses kicked up, and turned, charging back where they came from, and then turned to face forward once more.

"Those were some pretty good moves, lad. That sword, for some reason I know it's bad news for my buddies here. What is it?"

Shirou sprinted forward, each step making a large splash against the rain formed puddles. "Shirou! What are you-!"

Saber twisted to the right, as if performing a pirouette! A foot slammed into the ground where she once stood, sending shards of concrete into the air!

That move was a set up! Whoosh! The air seemed to scream as the figure ducked, and then launched a sweeping kick with her left leg! Saber lifted her flaming sword and stepped back as she unleashed a swing with the full might of her body!

The blade flew back, and both combatants used that moment to perform a backwards flip. Saber's assailant wasted no time, she threw herself forward and launched a right jab, a easy swing to repel it! Exactly.

_Lightning fast!_

A left chop kicked had been prepared at an impossible speed... for Saber to avoid it- no chance!

So the only choice was to block it, Saber used all her strength to turn and lift the blade below the oncoming attack!

Guarding like this was rather silly, it is always ideal to parry or dodge, using this usually makes the blade snap in two... but the eternal flame would not be so weak.

The earth seemed to rumble, torrent of water flew into the air, shaped like dragons! Saber shook as she felt the impact, and this was a perfect opening. Right uppercut, left hook, right roundhouse kick.

Saber was thrown into a nearby white van, its left door bent under pressure and the empress fell into it, making the van turned to the right and fall with a resounding thud.

A moment of silence. The van was cut in two as the Empress placed her feet against the concrete, a sound as if glass shattered. Her eyes were sharp and focused on but one thing... the woman who had dared to attempt to best her.

Shirou was moving full throttle towards Rider. As long as he carried the king slaying blade he had no fear of the charging force of the horses.

They would fall before they could trample him underfoot. Despite that, and Rider somehow knowing... why was Rider still charging to meet him head on?

These thoughts raced through Shirou's mind in all but an instant, the realisation then struck him, a second too late.

Shirou's right arm had swung the small blade in a horizontal arc, the purpose to slay the horses, or at least redirect them, but these horses were noble phantasms... so they could be dispelled whenever.

A large flowing dark shadow now soared above Shirou... who had just launched an attack, and thus was completely open!

That was Riders aim, he concocted the plan in mere seconds, the scarlet thorn was thrown like a javelin and effortlessly tore through Shirou's left shoulder, slamming deep into the ground, sticking him securely in place. Rider's feet landed on the floor without a single sound.

Whack, Shirou fell to the ground as Rider smashed his shield against Shirou's head, he then bent down and slowly dragged his spear out of him.

"Nice try, lad, but you gotta do better then doing the same trick twice against someone like me... now do I kill you or not? Saber may disappear and I won't get a decent fight, but Bazette would be mad if you both somehow escape..."

"_He's looking down on me! That jerk!" _

Shirou tried to move, his body barely responded, his fingers merely made the tiniest of twitches. "...Hero."

The words left Shirou's lips, Rider's ears shook a little.

"What is a hero?" Shirou's right hand made a fist and slammed against the pavement, lifting his body barely a centimetre off the ground.

"Huh? What the hell... eh, I don't care about such a silly question. To me a hero is just a thing I know will be fun to fight!"

Rider made a wide happy smile, showing all his fanged teeth. "What is a king!" A piercing roar erupted from Shirou's blood soaked lungs!

He punched the floor and jumped back to his feet, materialising in his arms was his favourite sword, Durendal!

"How... can you stand and hold such a heavy sword with two hands? Your left arm is about to fall off, I can't... ahaha! Alright, lad! Ready for round two!"

Lancer raised his shield above his head, and pulled is lanced in position behind his shoulder.

His face full of excitement, now also bared shock.

Shirou seemed to not have a single opening.

He stood as if he was a knight with no equal, a hero whose legend would never die, the audacity of a king resonating from his very being.

"_Dad, what's a Hero?" _

A memory of a Christmas long ago, Shirou asked his father a few important questions.

"Hm, a hero is obviously someone who has defied fate to be the very best, but compared to me, they're just lesser mongrels. I am the only true hero of this world. It is good you asked me first, only I can give you the true answer."

Shirou nodded and smiled, his father truly was a hero among heroes. The snow outside fell slowly to the floor, piling up like the wild emotions in Shirou's young heart. "So, what's a King?"

Gilgamesh made a small smile, "A man of superior fate and destiny, one with power that shakes the entire world when they hear his name, the person who will live the most beautiful and extravagant life that show never be known by any other!"

King of Heroes.

Shirou was the child of the King of Heroes!

A person who rules destiny as well as defies and defines it! A warrior that not even the Gods dare contest, the person who holds all the wonders of the world at his fingertips!

He was the best, and no weakling of a hero like Rider could possibly begin to fathom his power!

He wasn't going to die here, he was going to win, it was already in the stars, and even if it wasn't Shirou would shatter them one by one to be the best he could be.

Durendal glowed fiercely, the world seemed to stop, and then Shirou howled to the heavens!

"**Durendal! I command you! Break!" **

An impossibility was being demanded. A sword that could never shatter, was being ordered to explode. Shirou reinforced it, then began to break it apart, ordering it out of the world, complying with Gaia's wishes to remove this oddity, then at the last moment reinforcing it again, repeating this process.

A deathly yet vibrant green glow began to burst forth from the blade, Rider could still not see a single flaw... but if he waited any longer, he knew he would suffer for it, he had two choices.

To charge straight in and hope to kill Shirou in a single blow, or wait to counter the moment Shirou stroke, a real battle between heroes is settled with their very best.

Rider threw his shield to the ground and held the spear with both hands, pointing the centre of the earth, poised to be thrust forth and take Shirou's head. **"Gae-!" **

That was the moment Shirou slammed his sword into the ground below his feet.

Durendal shattered into thousands of pieces, and then became nothing but dust in the wind!

The earth split apart! Rider fell back as an explosion of light bathed him.

Before Shirou was a enormous crevice in the ground, nearby cars and street lamps began to be sucked in, having been broken in the impact, and at the bottom of the pit was Rider.

The debris fell in, obscuring the Servant from view.

A burst of light flew from the abyss! Rider landed on the opposite side of the ravine, lance in his right hand, and the shield had now returned to the other.

"T-that... was really, really something! Hahaha! Perhaps not the fight of my life but, you might be getting up there y'know! Well if you had any fight left in ya. Too bad, you used everything up for that one-"

"I'm only getting started." Shirou stared at the Hero.

"Heh, I like your guts. I might pray to dad for once, seems like everything will go my way, your just a Master, this fight barely even started, but I'm having the time of my life. I'm trembling in excitement just thinking about what the Servants would be like!"

"That is, if you can beat me!" Shirou's left arm slumped down, any more pressure to it could cause it to fall straight off his body, appearing in his right arm was a rusty bronze blade...

"_I'll end him with this, the Kusunagi!"_

Authors Note:

Hello all, I'm back. This is just a short small update to get you guys interested again, I guess and help me practise my skills again. Thanks to my editor Petrikow would be greatly appreciated.

(Actually he didn't edit this chapter, but he probably will be my main editor from now on, I think.)

Please read my other fanfic, which is a crossover of Fate Stay and the Shin Megami Tensei game, Devil Summoner Raidou Kuzunoha, where Shinji is a demon summoning detective.

Anyway, the King demands a review!


	8. Two Little Words

King of Fakers Chapter 8: Two Little Words and the castle of blood.

A single drop of sweat fell from Rider, he couldn't help but grin, a pinch of madness seemed to be upon his face. This was the first real fight he had since he was summoned, he wanted to enjoy it to the utmost. Logic told him to end it now, but his soul wanted to see it through.

He wanted to see just how far the boy could go, how much he could do, how long he could fight.

To do so would ignore everything his master told him.

Furthermore he knew that tempting fate against him could be disastrous, that last clash was proof of that...

"Aw, to hell with it! C'mon lad! Let's settle this like men! Hit me with all ya got, I'll break through it and take you down! Sorry, boys but I wanna do this alone."

Rider lifted his shield and spear, bracing his feet against the concrete.

Shirou lifted his right arm and focused all of his forced into the bronze blade, slowly lifting it towards the heavens. Rider waited patiently, a rare thing for a man like him.

A light breeze fell against Rider's face, then a blade of glass swept through his hair.

Somehow he shivered. Somehow he began to sweat. Somehow... he couldn't shake of this uneasy feeling...

"Oh, damn, you're out. That's why I feel so annoyed." Shirou smirked at the remark.

"Far from it, can't the dog wait for a treat?" Rider sighed and grit his teeth.

Something was wrong. The sensation felt akin to forgetting something severely important.

The wind once again brought torn grass towards Rider, it feel upon his feet and began to form a small pile, the storm began to pick up a bit. Flashes of lightning in the distance fell, almost seeming to get quicker.

Another minute passed. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, just wait a minute. I'm sure your blood will burn."

Rider began to feel the nagging feeling grow larger and larger... Shirou threw the blade at Rider's feet, whose eyes turned to look below.

The concrete was covered in torn grass, the area around him now resembled a small field.

The blades came alive and wrapped around his legs, forming makeshift vines!

He kicked them away ripping his feet from them with almost no effort, "Lad, that was really disappoint-!" Shirou then burst out in laughter. His crooked left arm seemed to have healed, and it threw another identical bronze blade up into the sky.

"Ame-No-Murakumo, Kusunagi-No-Tsurugi. Bring in the storm!" Shirou snapped his fingers, and the wind roared. A blitzkrieg of thunder and lightning bombarded the earth around the two, seeming to form a enormous cage constructed of light.

Shirou snapped his fingers again, the air died, replaced by an eternal flame.

Shirou had trapped himself in a cage created from the full force of nature. "This sword is made of bronze. Of course it can't compete with that spear head on, this blade unlocks the full potential of the user and channels their magic to the point where they can warp nature to their will. Even you can't escape from this cage without taking tons of damage."

"So what lad! It's just you and me, you've made it worse than when we started!"

Shirou smiled, "wrong, I've won. Your master is outside. Here is a prediction, Rider. I will defeat you with only sabres, they won't even be all that special, just enough to hurt you."

And with that sentence, what seemed like hundreds of swords emerged from thin air, flying forth, they met Rider's shield and shattered upon impact!

A mere distraction.

Two sabres were in his hands, he had closed the gap almost instantly. In reality the movement, while looking fluid and effortless... Shirou felt as if his body was ready to be torn apart at the slightest error. He couldn't fail or make a single mistake.

Rider lunged forward, the head of the spear aimed at Shirou's right eye...

With a swish and flick of his hand Shirou turned one of the sabres around, the hilt hooked the lance and with a dive towards the earth did just enough to redirect the thrust.

But if Rider's skills with the spear could have been stopped by such a simple thing, he would not be the hero he was, instead of a thrust he redirected the attack into a powerful swing... since the sword was still hooked to the lance, and Rider had more raw strength...!

The only result was to throw the sword off the spear and send Shirou hurtling up into the air, the cage of flame, now opened a tiny bit. _"What!? He did that on purpose so he can trap me here!? Ah, dammit I'm getting too carried away over some little kid... but!"_

It was an opening for Rider to escape too.

"Kings." A single word left the boys lips and it shook the very air.

"Kings, do not run! They are never defeated! You're a coward to try to run, Rider!"

The cage closed and a next of swords formed a surface for Shirou's feet, he kicked against it, sending him towards Rider, two more sabres emerged in the boys hands.

"Take this!" Rider smiled, he had won, he would simply raise his shield and it would take the next impact, he'd finish the lad with a perfect attack and this would be over.

"It was fun while it lasted lad, but-!" The shield was raised ready for the strike of the swords!

Yet they never came.

Something fell against the shield but it was not cold steel, but the king himself!

"_Tch! Damn, this kid! Geez, I have to take this seriously! Otherwise he'll really kick my ass! And then Bazette'll probably kick it again after that."_

The dive upon the shield had given Shirou another advantage, Rider could not see him or strike accurately at him, unless he moved it... his field of vision was obscured, so Rider simply did what he had done with his horses, he ordered it to disappear, the spear was just under the shield, so Shirou would instantly be impaled upon it ending the fight.

"I won't fall for the same trick twice! I am no fool unlike you!" The moment the shield dispersed, Shirou had performed a back-flip, he was now below Rider, free falling back to the ground

Shirou's eyes sparkled like daggers as Rider turned to face him. Rider had seen that look before countless times... the look that meant... he'd already won.

"So what!? How can you kill me from there lad!?"

"I told you already didn't I? Your master is out there, and can't come in here. However..."

A strong right punch to close the gap between them... at the last second it opened up into a palm.

"I promised, I would kill you with only sabres, and so I shall. This is your punishment for defying the king, to dare bite these arms of mine, mongrels cannot begin to fight us... I've won Rider. It was easy, now... **COME SABER!" **An absolute command, the blood coloured command seal glowed with a fiery light, a demand had been made and it could not be refused.

The embers on the kings fist bloomed forth a even darker and more powerful dress of red.

The "rose" needed to only swing her "thorn" once, Rider felt his entire torso being pushed apart, in a single instant a crimson blade had dug through his body and the hero fell to his knees.

* * *

><p>A whistle and a curse left the lips of Caster and Rin, respectively. They were both very afraid as well as frustrated. The Tohsaka household was oozing in a dark energy, they could feel it... someone was in there and they had set up shop, quite nicely too.<p>

The leylines of the structure were now dominated, someone had ripped total control and created a fort, what Rin had thought as home ground was now quite possibly one of the worst places to fight in the city... for her at least. It was now likely the best place for the Servant who waited within.

The doors to the mansion opened wide, as if they were the jaws of a beast. Obscured in shadow sat a figure at the foot of the stairs on a comfortable red chair, he was covered in head to toe with a black outfit and hat. What little else that could be seen was his pale white skin and flowing ivory hair as well as a glinting pole like weapon resting in his lap.

Two more chairs then appeared at the entrance. "Please, come in. I have much to discuss with you ladies. It concerns you deeply, depending on how you act I may even vacate these premises and return to you what I have conquered." He spoke gently, his hands gestured to the other chairs.

Of course Rin would never accept such an odd proposal, especially when she knew the horrible disadvantages she had. "I can see you're wary, totally understandable. Then let me show you a symbol of my trust. I am without a doubt of the Lancer class. I swear by the Lord it is true, I hope as a fellow Christian you would need only this. If you need more than, well I shall give you my identity young magus, in return you must promise to aid me. Do we have a deal?"

Lancer removed his hat, placed it aside gently and smiled. "So please, sit... I do insist."

The land behind Rin and Caster crumbled and thousands of spears erupted from the floor, forming a gate of of bloody pikes that blocked the entrance and exit of the estate...

Rin turned to see it and ran towards the seat adjacent to Lancer in a heartbeat.

"A cheap trick... though effective, those pikes force a reaction on those who see it, making them instinctively desire to run away from them... and in this case Rin ended up doing as you asked without even realising it." Caster sighed and walked to the second seat, trying to attack from a range now would endanger Rin, they were already in his trap anyway, the fact the spears could be conjured so easily was proof of that.

Rin couldn't say a thing, her mind was shocked and ashamed at what just happened. She had ran to Lancer without even thinking and the whole incident was like a blur... trying to recall exactly what happened made her head ache. "Now, dear Rin. Please swear that you'll aid me when I ask something of you in the future. In exchange I shall not slay you ever within the course of this war and I will leave your home intact, everything will be as you left it, oh except a single bible if that is okay with you, I wouldn't feel right stealing one from a shop or you so I wish to ask your permission to keep it."

Oddly enough his vice was soothing, attractive yet frightening. He waited patiently for a response, keeping his eyes fixed on Rin and Caster, but not maliciously or even with a degree of seriousness, just plain eye contact. "My identity, a pledge of peace in exchange for you saving my master. How about it Rin?" The word "save" finally grabbed Rin's attention. "What do you mean save?"

"Exactly that dear. My master must be saved. You must save her, it's your obligation. She's your sister after all... I am Vladimir Tepes or Vladimir Dracula III the child of the dragon the impaler, the devil. My master is Matou Sakura... and I earnestly desire your help in the foreseeable future."

* * *

><p>Authors Note:<p>

Yeah this isn't proofread so... yeah I really need a beta reader man... also yeah sorry for the short length yet again... but at least it's here, right? Haha think of it as a late Christmas present...

Enjoy and review please.


	9. The Man in Black

King of Fakers chapter 9 : Prayers among blue blood.

"What danger? What do I need to save her from?" Sweat dropped from her brow towards her lips.

Sakura Matou was once the sister of Tohsaka Rin.

It was a distant and blurry memory, almost as if it was just a vision of an old dream. She was supposed to have forgotten her, as a magus that was the right thing to do. As a person however...

"As I understand it your parents gave her away to make sure there will be no contesting among the inheritance of this household. The people that you gave her too are atrocious and foul degenerates. I would raze that mansion to the ground and impale those lowlifes but alas I cannot. That is why you must intervene for my solution is quite detestable."

Vladimir then grounded his teeth and a small bulge appear on the right side of his head.

He was actually quite irritated that he could not have mercilessly murdered the Matou household.

Rin's face now ceased to change. She was worried for her sister but she had no idea of what Lancer knew and because of this she chose to run away, she chose to use the excuse of a magus for this affair. She thought the problem was merely that the Matou's were not kind.

A fatal mistake that could come back to bite her.

"I don't have a sister. Sorry to disappoint you but I don't need to save anyone."

Vladimir brought his hands together and looked to the floor. His icy face seemed to burn with some colour. What plagued his heart was not merely anger or shame but a feeling akin to grief and regret.

He let out a long sigh and after a light pause raised his head. His eyes were now of a even colder steel then before.

"I should have - no I had already expected this foul result. I had to try though. Forgive me Sakura... Tohsaka Rin the world has changed a great deal since I lived and for the most part... I agree with these ideas that have emerged."

Rin's ears pricked up and she had forgotten the danger surrounding her. She couldn't help but want to listen to the man, a ruthless warrior of the past actually liked the modern world? Her interest was piqued.

"In my time having to fight family was something that was always a possibility. They were possible candidates to rip away your standing in life. Fighting and death were seen as common and people wouldn't bat a eyelid when they saw a person ripped to pieces, broken or violated.

That as the world I lived in. The generations now though have for the most part abandoned that. The world is more peaceful and accepting. For me that is a miracle, it is no longer necessary for humanity needs to spill blood to solve its problems."

Vladimir took a sip of wine and after wiping his mouth with a handkerchief as well as saying a silent thank you for using it continued.

"Peace was once either a trap or a mere fraction of a dream. Now it is a real reality. I know conflict still exists and what the picture I'm painting is a bright and optimistic one but I really want to believe that humanity can change things.

If we can rise from the shackles of the past and the laws of nature then the world can be at peace. I will fight for that. I only ever had the time to protect my homeland but now I have the power to change the world. I'll drench the world in blood to get there but I already have committed far to many sins. I will for the sake of my fellow man win this war."

Rin and Semiramis blinked a few times and began thinking about how their expectation of this man had been shattered with a single conversation. For a man who made people suffer excruciating from arguable the worst method of torture he seemed to be a pretty nice and almost naïvely optimistic person. This was more or less the thoughts that ran through the women's heads.

"The problem in my time though seems to be the same in this time too.

I have to eliminate them and thoroughly this time... or man can never be equal with one another.

The nobility is a completely human concept and has no place on our world.

It is the horrible politics of these men that ruined my country and forced me to fight with the brother that I had never met in years.

I will not see you fight with your sister. I had hoped you'd come with me to save her but the blue blood never seems to change. I shall save you both the horror of slaying kin. Goodbye Rin."

Rin could not move for she had slowly fallen into half a trance. Lancer's demeanour was a small factor but the main reasons were the spears behind her and his hypnotic eyes.

"_When did! I didn't feel a thing from those a second ago!" _Caster had not felt the power earlier it was as if he had just developed the eyes on the spot she could not help but curse at how careless she was. She knew what was coming in but a second her master would become nothing but meat on a stick.

The spears crushed through the body of the young magus and her body slowly leaked blood from ever wound and pore. Her body twitched violently and she gasped for air. She was still barely alive and was doomed to die by bleeding out.

"Sorry I should have aimed for your brain. Let me remedy that." Another pike jumped from the floor into the back of her head. A small explosion of fluid splattered over the floor and the body jerked for three more seconds and then slowly curled itself into a ball, or as much as it could considering its position and then became motionless.

Lancer then formed a cross with his fingers, closed his eyes and prayed.

"I wonder how much mana you waste doing that Vladimir dear?" Semiramis smiled triumphantly.

The icy man sighed and then looked at Caster.

"Child's play, dear." She snapped her fingers and the ruined corpse became one of a large bird like creature.

"My, my, my even the most amateur of modern street magicians might have been able to catch that. Well do you wish to dance? Or perhaps you could allow my master and I to stroll away? Or could you kindly take leave of your quite unprecedented residence in our building?"

A spear and a short sword appeared within Lancer's right and left hands respectively.

"You would point those ghastly things at a woman, why I thought you were a gentleman.

It seems we will dance then. Do not disappoint me, I'm not very proficient up close but give me a little space dear, and I'm sure your head will be swimming when we're done."

She then took two steps to the left and outstretched her right arm in a gesture to show she would be leading the "dance" and smiled a wide almost villainous smile.

Vladimir did not need to get close. His noble phantasm made such a action needless and excessive. However his opponent was caster one of the classes that thrived at a distance and were generally incredibly inferior with hand to hand combat.

A close range assault combined with the attacks from Kazıklı Bei should make the fight brief and give certain victory for Lancer, being of of the knight classes he also bore magic resistance. Given the situation and the fact that the once friendly mansion was now completely in control of Lancer, most would see the matter as done Caster would perhaps be able to deal a few instances of heavy damage but ultimately fall for having no less mobility and physical force.

"_But then why is she smiling?" _Lancer had not yet moved a single inch.

"What's the matter dear? Afraid you can't keep up with an older and more mature as well as refined lady such as I?" Vladimir was no fool and certainly not a person who relishes battle to the degree of someone like Rider, he was a strategist and a leader before a fighter and would not take the bait.

However another possibility was in his mind. That the confidence exuded from Caster was a forgery and she was simply buying time for Rin or herself to make some sort of move.

If he closed in he may suffer. If he waited he may suffer. It may all just be a bluff.

It wasn't impossible that the woman before him may have had some physical skills or perhaps a spell that would devastate him at point blank. Being a seasoned commander though he realised his answer. That to not act held the greatest risk, so spears reached out to wreck the dark haired beauty.

They never touched a cell of her skin. "Gracious, we've barely even met and your trying to stick it to me already? …Lancer it didn't matter if you waited or you struck straight away, came close or stayed afar, I had already won the moment you struck the fake Rin."

The pikes had been stopped in their tracks miraculously by blood.

Blood had entangled and wrapped itself around the weapons and kept it in a choke hold.

The spear may have engulfed almost every single spot around Caster but the prison of metal seemed more like a piece of art when they spiralled around her.

Snap. All of the spears near her snapped in half and fell on the floor.

"Not very durable are they? At least against my magic they aren't. Though by the look of your face these things don't really cost much so I shouldn't have expected much. The broken remains then began to melt and within a blink of an eye became a liquid that joined with the blood, the mixture then floated upwards from the ground and into the shape of a wine glass.

"Want a taste? I'm sure a vampire like yourself would enjoy it, I can assure you it is of the highest class and quality, why it's to die for." Lancer couldn't help but make a disgusted smirk.

"You're not amateur at this, being a hero you couldn't be but this situation... you've had to be up close and personal before. You may be Caster but I think you would make a fine Assassin."

At that Semiramis' smile began even more sharp, "why thank you, and if memory serves me correctly you died at the hands of one, yes?"

The glass of blood bled into the air and then not a hint of red remained.

Lancer then realised what she had meant.

"The air has just been poisoned. I'll have to kill you before it actually begins to hurt me. You're forcing me to either back down or go on a reckless offensive. Not bad Caster but finishing this quickly will be easy for me, I'll show you the limits of my noble phantasm but you shall die as you do."

Vladimir was about to fire all 20000 lances at once to cover the entire building.

There would be no escape. If she survived it would not take much to deal the finishing blow.

However as he was about to attack...

"Lancer what if my Master is about to head to yours and kill her?"

The man of ice froze. This may have all been a diversion. He gave out his master name and now he could pay the price for it. The good will he had tried to displayed could have meant the death of a poor and innocent person for no reason at all.

He trembled for a second. He grounded his teeth so hard Caster could hear it and honestly took a step back. Vlad's golden eyes beamed with new found life. He shuddered and his face contorted into a beastly snarl! Lancer's body exploded into a cloud of mist!

And as quickly as the transformation was he had disappeared.

Caster chuckled. She'd won. Rin had in fact never left the building.

"Well now, I guess I've got some... redecorating to do."

Author's Note:

Yay a meagre update. Made this so you know it ain't completely dead.

You may ask questions and they shall be answered if they're not going to make me spoil my story.

Anything after this one I upload will be at least 5000 words and be proofread.

This is an example of when I don't do that. Sorry. But it's Easter now so I maybe able to get a few chapters out. We'll see. Hopefully.


	10. Forgotten Tides

King of Fakers Chapter 10: The Ocean of the Heart

The King stood in the middle of the church and was drinking a bottle of wine.

He could feel it, Shirou's intense battle against Rider from here and while he would never easily admit it he was worried.

Thankfully for the audience Kotomine was here.

"You could help him you know, lions are actually animals that hunt in groups. You're worried aren't you?" A sneer was on the priests face, the Gilgamesh he knew from the fourth war had changed.

Gilgamesh responded with a snarl but he tried to calm his expression, "Hmph but if I aided him the victory would not be his. Both he and I will be disappointed of such a result. I am not worried for his feelings, rather I just do not wish this treasure of mine to fade away."

"So he is a treasure? Who knew you could express your love so poetically?" Kotomine smiled as he looked away from the King, who had a look of displeasure though a tiny part of him wanted to groan at such a statement. "You've invested time in the boy as well, why don't you help him? I would not stop you if that is your wish."

"You should know better than that. I simply want to watch this play to unfold. If such an amusing character died it'd be a shame, but I would not grieve. As for you, are you okay with letting him do this by his own merits? You won't protect him? You won't scurry around trying to change fate? It'd be a real tragedy if you lost your friend a second time."

The King closed his eyes and fell silent for a moment. "The boy too is like a toy as are you, he entertains me and nothing more. I have no, do not and shall never have friends. Begone."

Kotomine's body began to tremble very lightly to his own shock. This silent threat was sharper and far more intimidating then the anger that The King normally showed.

The animosity exuded was slowly shaking Kotomine to the core...

Despite this the fake priest could not help but pry, even if he was walking into the lion's den.

"You simply do not... want to consider the boy a friend because you cannot let go of a promise from times almost forgotten? Some would see that as rather foolish and even needy..."

The King of Heroes glare leapt from his eyes and he bellowed,

"How dare you speak of something you could never understand!

**You who are worse than a puppet!**

You who does not bear passion to drive your actions!

You think you can know what I think and feel?

I am the greatest form of humanity and you can't even understand the feelings of a child.

**You who cannot embrace love could not even begin to know what friendship is!**"

His fist smashed the glass his hand as he brought it to the church's floor, the earth trembled and the floor cracked and the stained glass windows fled the house of God.

The King of Heroes rose and the moon graced him with her light.

The fake priest was stunned and he slowly left the building not saying a single word.

Gilgamesh opened the Gate of Babylon and a seat emerged from it which he threw his body on, he closed his eyes and lifted his head to the moonlight.

He cursed under his breath. Kotomine had touched the most sensitive nerve of the King.

_"Not for all eternity shall that worth ever change!" _

He was recalling foolish things. Yet just because they were foolish... or even because they were foolish... "they are precious." He whispered to no one but himself in the church where he sat in the centre, with shards of glistening glass at his feet.

"_It will never change. I promise. You shall be my only friend, from now to the end... no matter what! _

_The boy will not be my friend, because I have no need for him when you are here Enkidu. _

_I will not betray you." _

He remembered holding him, his only friend in the world and the only thing that understood him. Perishing from a power beyond his own... a power he had no control over, the Gods, Fate, the will of the world. Whatever you would call it.

The King who had been alone all his life until the day they met, the man who got whatever he wanted... at that moment he had only one wish. Only one truly sincere demand that he would have given anything for. This time and perhaps for the first time in his life he was denied.

The beautiful figure that was the purest wishes of humanity... the soft appearance became hard and slowly his human features began to... drip away. Life left his face and there was no warmth to his touch, cold and almost unmoving.

Returning to the earth he came from, his body began to turn to clay. First his gentle eyes which fell in upon themselves as they crumbled. Enkidu didn't want his only friend to be sad, so even when he lost his sight he continued to smile.

But that too shriveled and was blown away by the breeze of the wind.

And as almost his whole body became clay... he reached out and wrapped what was left of his arms around his friend who had been holding him all the while with tears he could no longer see.

The King then felt something from the remains.

"_I don't want to die. I don't want to die! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!_

_I want to live more, I want to live more and have many, many more adventures with you! _

_The pain... I'm torn. I know I am feeling pain from this body and form this heart! _

_But... but I can no longer feel it! _

_Everything that made me, me! It's gone._

_Curse you... Curse you humans! I wouldn't feel like this if I hadn't..._

_...If I hadn't met you. Sorry. I... no I'm glad I met you and everyone of Uruk. _

_I'm going now. Don't cry. I was merely a tool like the treasures in your fault. I wasn't worth much._

_So you have no reason to be sad? Okay?"_

As the form wrapped around him began to turn to dust in the wind the King of Heroes declared with his red eyes that he was more than tool, he was a friend, he was irreplaceable as he was and always would be his only companion and he was worth more than the world because of that...

**"Not for all eternity shall that worth ever change!" **He decreed it, to himself, to his friends and to the world that robbed them. What was left of Enkidu was then swept away... and Gilgamesh could not tell... whether or not he had been able to hear it, those last words and his promise.

Even if Enkidu no longer had ears to hear with... he surely must of heard it with his heart, right?

Though if he was standing before him right now he would surely say something like, "but I don't have a soul!" And laugh with joy plastered on his face...

* * *

><p>A sickening squelch and then a burst of red.<p>

From his waist and his mouth dripped life. The Thorn had gone through him completely.

"Any last words Rider? I just have to twist this instrument of mine and then make a clean cut and you'll be split in two. So if you have any wish this Emperor shall hear it."

Rider grimaced, thanks to his battle continuation he wasn't dead or crippled by this.

However retaliating from this position and not being ripped in two or sustaining heavy damage would be near impossible.

"Tch, two on one... and I thought I was having a proper duel. Keh...!"

He dropped his spear. "Fine, you win. Just make it clean."

Neither Shirou nor Saber noticed that as he talked he was moving his right thumb and index finger towards his lips...

"Is that all? Master and Servant exist for a reason. My Master and I were better than you and your pathetic one. As they say in this country, sayonara!"

Rider then whistled with everything he had and smiled.

Saber's blade hit nothing. Rider pulled it from his body and threw it into the distance behind him.

"Did you just materialise-!"

Two pairs of hooves rammed into Saber's face and stomach!

"**GAE BOLG!" **

Saber already knew the answer to her question and gazed dumbfounded as she fell to the floor and then the spear below her struck through her heart.

"C-cur..ses..."

Rider had materialised his chariot and horses right below his body to throw the attack off due to the angle and then his horses were in range to strike

Shirou grimaced, his breath was in rags and his body was exhausted, this was a fight with a true and complete threat of death. His vision was going black.

"All is fair in love and war. My horses are my comrades in arms, so really it was four versus two the entire time, my master will probably be here in just a few moments. It was interesting but goodbye."

Shirou heard none of Rider's words however. His ears could only hear a cackling... what was left of his sight could only see pieces of the destroyed terrain.

Scorched hands grasped upon him and began to drag him through the muddy earth.

Fire! Flame! Smoke! Ash! Dust!

Shirou could now only see Rider's red eyes. "...I cannot die." He whispered as the arms pulled harder. "I want so much more..." the smoke in his eyes and in his throat intensified.

"I..." The earth opened up and from within the crevice a bubbling black ooze began to submerge his body, burning away his flesh.

The red eyes called to him. They taunted him.

They arose a fear and anger in him, he wanted to blame them for the pain and the charred bodies, the scattered pieces of homes.

"_**** this. I'm not going to die and if I am I'll take you to hell! With _me!"

Shirou rose from the ooze and a black jacket covered him wrapping him in a warm feeling...

He stood and saw the red eyes come closer, step by step and with each step fear and malevolence grew with every moment...

Shirou woke from his nightmare.

He wasn't going to die, he just wouldn't accept it like this, not now or ever! His brain was beginning to fry. His blood boiled and he could see nothing but the enemy before him.

From the ocean of his memory he recalled something... the day he was saved by his father they were two other people there... he couldn't remember it well but the mind was blocking something out about this revelation...

A shining horror...

And he would recreate it now. Light formed in his arms and began to take the shape of a sword. He charged towards his foe and parried a finishing thrust aimed at Saber.

Raising the half backed sword above his head it shone even brighter. His mind emptied.

A single swing. Light burst forth and the blade seemed to cut across the starry sky.

It had missed Rider completely.

But both Saber and Rider witnessed the light. They could tell that the sword and the attack were nowhere near its true power... but even so a direct hit may have perhaps decided the entire fight.

"My master... rest for just a moment! I will end this! I must thank you... for letting me see such a beautiful thing!"

Saber threw her body forward, ripped Gae Bolg from her chest and threw it into Rider's own shoulder! Then she finished her leap and fell unto Rider's chariot and stole the reigns from the still stunned warrior.

With a powerful pull she threw the horses back... the chariot was about to capsize! Saber wouldn't let this chance slip away. She slammed her fists together like a hammer into the spear in Rider's shoulder, obliterating his shoulder bones as the cursed spear ripped through its own master!

The chariot fell and as it did Saber moved her arms to hold Rider in a full nelson.

She then kicked from the ground and sent both Rider and herself out from the fallen chariot and over the road side... down a steep cliff and all that was below was the ocean.

Splash!

Saber summoned her sword again while both servants floated just above the ocean floor.

Rider's right arm was useless and his back was turned and not to mention the gaping hole in his waist... it was over. The eternal flame rammed down his neck and through his spine!

Saber rose from the water and smiled, then clenched her teeth and placed her left hand over her heart. She did not want to admit it but just a little more and she would have surely died.

She walked to shore and sighed. She would head to Shirou and take him home. She had enough energy to do that she was more than sure.

Except when she got there... he was gone.

* * *

><p>Rider's eyes opened. He body had been swept to shore... and all the damage he had taken seemed to be gone, as if it never happened at all.<p>

His gaze turned to see a figure with purplish hair in a perm.

"Archer, leave him." And with those words the wounds on his body reappeared... and the flesh that covered them... began to move away! It began to meld together and then took the form of a beautiful person... with shining green hair.

Pain returned to Rider's every nerve even he could not help but let out a scream!

"So now you know what will happen if you do not assist me. You'll die right here and now without Archer acting as a part of your body. So you, your master and I, we should have a little chat..."

Authors note:

I had originally planned EMIYA to be Archer but I've decided otherwise.

I know this is a short update but hey it's something I guess...

It'll take me sometime to get used to writing in general again, so please bare with me if the next few chapters are not good, any help would be appreciated.


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